A Walk on the Pier
“What do you
think of
beauty?”
“What?”
“Well,
what do you
think it is?”
“I’m not really sure
I follow your query;
would you kindly
elaborate, sir?”
“Of course.
What I mean by asking
what beauty is, chap,
is what makes a person
or thing just that?
What causes them to
be lovely or fair?
Is it something
they’re made with,
some strange
innate trait,
or is it their form
that matters
most great?”
“I daresay the form,
my queer little fellow,
for is that not most
admired by man?
We fawn over people
and sculptures and art,
but what is the key
that sets them apart
from regular persons,
like you, sir, and I?
It is what we perceive
of them with our eyes.”
“Beauty, then, sir,
is found simply
in form?”
“Precisely, old boy,
well done!”
“Hold on.
There’s something
with which I
digress.”
“Of course.”
“You say, good friend,
that beauty is found
in the persons and things
we think most profound
to gaze upon with
these fallible eyes,
but I find it most shallow
to so quickly surmise
one’s merit, good sir –
if they’re lovely or fair–
with a casual glance,
or a judgmental stare.
There is more
to beauty
than that.”
“Then what do you,
my most onerous friend,
think makes something
– or one –
an object of beauty?”
“I believe beauty
is not of the form,
but the soul of the
object in question.”
“Truly, good sir?”
“Truly indeed,
for how can we,
as such flawed fickle men,
define beauty within such
closed parameters?
How can we dictate
what is lovely or fair
when oft we know not
what beautiful is?
Did society not once
condemn Van Gogh’s art,
and now is it not
most revered?
One cannot base beauty on
what we can see.
Beauty is of the heart.”
“You do make a point.”
“I most certainly do.”
“Oh hush up, you
bloody old
fool!”
This is a delightful read, Tim! Just wonderful. Your title sets up the poem just perfectly. I especially love these lines:
“We fawn over people
and sculptures and art,
but what is the key
that sets them apart”
Great write!
May 9, 2012 at 1:44 am
Thank you so much, Angela! Though I can’t take full credit for the title. My friend Leigh at thoughtsofleigh.wordpress.com helped me come up with it. Everything else is mine, though, and I appreciate your wonderful comment! ^_^
May 9, 2012 at 1:48 am
wow.i simply loved reading this Tim… i somehow knew you would end up where you did, beauty is deeper…..lovely.
May 9, 2012 at 3:10 am
Thank you, Imperfectous! :)
May 9, 2012 at 11:53 pm
I have to echo Angela’s comment in saying how delightful this was to read; truly awesome, Tim. And I do love the ending, as well, giving beauty a much deeper meaning! :)
May 10, 2012 at 11:05 pm
Awww, thank you, Lauren! I’m glad you appreciated it. :)
May 10, 2012 at 11:22 pm