NOTES TO THE HURRYING MAN!

I struggle to understand why everyone is in such a hurry all the time. We all constantly rush from one appointment to another place with little regard or care for anyone else; jumping traffic lights, ignoring the needs of others and pushing past people without looking or caring. I don't understand why it is but it appears that no-one seems to have any time or patience anymore and I was reminded of this wonderful poem by Brian Patten, one of the Liverpool poets.
"All day long I sit here doing nothing but watching how at daybreak birds fly out and return no fatter when it's over. Yet hurrying about this room you would have me do something similar; would have me make myself a place in that sad traffic you call a world. Don't hurry me into it; offer no excuses, no apologies. Until their brains snap open I have no love for those who rush about its mad business; put their children on a starting line and push into Christ knows what madness.

You will not listen. "Work at life!" you scream, and working I see you rushing everywhere, so fast most times you ignore two quarters of half a world. If all slow things are usless and take no active part in nor justify your ignorance that's fine; but why bother screaming after me? Afraid perhaps to come to where I've stopped in case you find into some slow and glowing countryside yourself escaping. Screams measure and keep up the distance between us; Be quieter-- I really do need to escape; take the route you might take if ever this hurrying is over."

Brian Patten