‘Body and Mind Recluse’ by Leonard Dabydeen

“A man’s as old as he’s feeling …” ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“If the body frees the mind in its quest
For youthful dreams to be forever young
Let not Time play such games like cricket test*
To stay batting because the gloves are hung.
If I should sit alone in dark of night
Will I hear angels singing of a new King?
Or should I let my mind wander for light
Until sunlight herald flowers of Spring?
Never too old,” I think in solitude,
Murmuring to myself, “Am I too late?”
But the Mind regales with much gratitude
That I am so far from St. Peter’s Gate.
When youthful feelings prod the mind to soar
Sweet dreams go far beyond ocean’s shore.

*Cricket test or test cricket is an international sport. Test matches are played between competing countries (England vs Australia …) When a test player “stays batting,” this means he is not available to play in international matches. He hangs up his gloves.

Leonard Dabydeen is author of Watching You, A Collection of Tetractys Poems , Xlibris Publication(2012); Searching for You, A Collection of Tetractys and Fibonacci Poems, Xlibris Publication (2015)