© Neil Hayes and neilhayeswrites
Inside, outside, there’s no escape. Everywhere I look. I’m surrounded.
Who to trust? Suspicion consumes me. Where can I go, to feel safe?
I turn down an alley, hardly able to breath. Pushing myself into a doorway where no-one can see me.
But there is still someone watching. I still feel consumed by terror.
Who can it be? Where are they?
Then, a realisation. Me. I’m the observer, the follower, the spy.
Who to trust? Trust no-one.
Doubt all, even self.
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© Neil Hayes and neilhayeswriter
Foreign.
What’s your first thought? The answer will tell you a lot about yourself. Does it strike you with fear? Or does it evoke a sense of wonder?
It covers most places in the world, most people, most everything. For me, the word evokes a feeling of curiosity and triggers the need to understand and learn. There is so much to learn and appreciate in this world. It doesn’t even have to mean leaving your country, although some people should definitely try this. There are things to learn on your doorstep, we are all foreigners to one another. There is another world inside each person’s mind.
But the further you move from home, the more variety you will find, and also be surprised by the similarities. Smell the air, it’s the same, but with a slightly different aroma. Taste the food, probably the same basics, but with a few additions which you wouldn’t have thought of. It’s the differences which make the world interesting.
It’s just a word but, for me, it stands for excitement. What does it mean to you? Take the test.
Foreign.
© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
Neurones fighting
Firing at each other
Gladiators battling
We all want peace
Let’s start inside
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© Neil Hayes and neilhayeswriter
When a child, they are a god to you
They lead, you follow
Bigger, stronger, more confident
Then you grow, begin to catch up
And finally overtake
You want to learn, to improve
But they seem to be stuck in their ways
Even regressing
Unwilling to change, to grow up
They weren’t clever after all
Just bigger and stronger
What a disappointment
My big brother, America
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© Neil Hayes and neilhayeswriter
Do you ever get a feeling? One that you can’t quite put your finger on. It sits there, at the back of your mind. Just a thought that something isn’t quite right, or not as it should be. A feeling of detachment, of disconnect. A suspicion that we don’t belong, that we are merely visitors. Sometimes suspicions prove to be true and the facts present themselves. During a brief visit you must use your time wisely. You must act, live. Stop dreaming and do it. But I have another suspicion, I already am.
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© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
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