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Happiland

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Originally published: 1st October 2019

Edited and republished 23rd June 2022

Photo by gR

through a very small circle and without reason I once caught sight of a magnified ship 'standing still' out at sea when it came into focus it merged with the sky that was grey and was smudged by the rain on the lens like the whole world around it not even the dog on the beach - barking and spinning in circles while chasing whistles that got lost on the razor blade wind - could detract because for those five misty-eyed minutes before my sixpence ran out life was safe and exciting with no real meaning that ship is still out there anchored somewhere inside childhood - out of time out of season and many many miles from land.

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Paula Goldsmith

Date: 4/6/2025 11:29:00 AM

Congratulations on your win. I enjoyed reading your creative "Happiland" write. Great Picture. I love the ocean... Have a blessed day/week with your win......

Gary Radice
Date: 4/7/2025 11:53:00 AM

Paula, thank you. I love the sea too. Well, looking and watching it rather than swimming in it. I took the photo in New Brighton, across the Mersey River looking towards Liverpool. Cheers - Gary

Silent One

Date: 1/12/2024 1:05:00 PM

Congratulations on your placement in the contest...

Gary Radice
Date: 1/13/2024 12:49:00 AM

Likewise yourself Silent One. Cheers - Gary

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 11/15/2022 9:49:00 AM

That is a wonderful sentiment. I enjoyed reading this and it and it gave me some upbeat emotions. Thank you for sharing this. Kind wishes, Kai

Gary Radice
Date: 11/16/2022 2:05:00 AM

Thanks Kai. A snapshot from my childhood - and there's still that bit of a child in me now although the realities of adulthood tend to get in the way. :). Thanks again. Cheers - Gary

Linda Alice Fowler

Date: 8/18/2022 7:09:00 AM

This is charming Gary. A 5p well-spent in Happiland. I enjoyed reading this very much. Linda

Gary Radice
Date: 8/31/2022 10:48:00 PM

Hi Linda. I missed reading your comment somehow so apologies for the delay. Thank you for your visit to Happiland and for your lovely comments. Cheers - Gary

Bryan Norton

Date: 8/10/2022 9:04:00 AM

This one is really nice, Gary. I want to read this again and again. I like this kind of poem a lot, and you made it something great. Enjoy your day, Bryan.

Gary Radice
Date: 8/11/2022 3:25:00 AM

I will certainly enjoy my day Bryan - thanks so much for your kind comments. I've decided that I'll have another go at Free Verse in the very near future. Cheers - Gary

Elizabeth Mccann

Date: 8/2/2022 2:29:00 PM

I'm glad your comment to me led me to this poem. The "no dog on the beach" so vividly sets that time apart, isolated in a particular time and place in memory. Etched into my mind. Elizabeth

Gary Radice
Date: 8/2/2022 2:51:00 PM

Hi Elizabeth. I remember being excited as a young lad just seeing this magnified ship appear in the pay telescope at Southsea England circa 1966. The idea of seeing something so close up yet it being so far away. The weather that day just added to the excitement of it all. It's funny what stays in the memory. Thanks for reading. Cheers - Gary

Paul Callus

Date: 7/29/2022 2:34:00 AM

What a striking memory of childhood, Gary! I can relate to your words! I love the final lines which give this poem a fitting climax. ~Regards // paul

Gary Radice
Date: 7/29/2022 9:33:00 PM

Thank you Paul. I'm glad you enjoyed the poem and can relate to the words. Thanks so much for your visit and valued vomments. Cheers - Gary

Christopher Flaherty

Date: 7/12/2022 1:29:00 PM

Maybe perhaps a Ghost Ship Happy to be all at Sea

Gary Radice
Date: 7/12/2022 9:45:00 PM

I like your interpretation Christopher. Thanks for the best. Cheers - Gary

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 7/10/2022 2:56:00 PM

Isn’t it wonderful that we have a memory that captures specific moments in time that we will never forget. A poet uses those moments that become great poetry. My best friend has Alzheimer’s and has forgotten me. We were friends for over 50 years. I feel so blessed that Alzheimer’s does not run in my family. I adored your look at the past through a child’s eyes Gary. You should include more Freeverse in your poetry as you are very talented at it. Blessings xxoo

Gary Radice
Date: 7/11/2022 1:38:00 AM

Thank you Connie. I'm so glad to be able to read your comments and poetry again here at PS. Alzheimer's is such a sad and tragic illness and very upsetting to those closest to those who have it. Free verse doesn't come easy to me, I think in all I have only written three pieces in my lifetime and they are up here at The Soup. I am going to attempt more however. Thank you for the encouragement. Cheers - Gary

Bill Baker

Date: 7/5/2022 3:07:00 PM

A beautiful poem of an important moment in the childs life. It's much like a cherished moment in time as we age. Your imagery and descriptions are very engaging, Gary. I enjoyed the view ... all 5 mins of it. :-) A poet friend in Texas, Bill

Gary Radice
Date: 7/5/2022 3:26:00 PM

Thanks Bill. For some reason best known to my muse I find it harder writing free verse than I do writing rhyme. I've been very happy, therefore, with all the great comments this poem has received - including, of course, your lovely comments too Bill. Cheers - Gary

Sally Eslinger

Date: 6/27/2022 10:28:00 PM

Gary, this is for me a delving narrative that passed a film before e, which put me into unexpected turn making your memory in the end mine. I found a mystery and sadness in it. Your well-chosen words set you as the remarkable cameraman to the huge scene, unforget - able to me, the child and poet.BRAVO!

Gary Radice
Date: 6/28/2022 6:13:00 AM

Thank you very much Sally. I love how you describe the poem having a mystery and sadness in it..that's exactly what I wanted to achieve. Cheers - Gary

Timothy Ray

Date: 6/27/2022 6:39:00 AM

i can add little more than what John Watt did rather eloquently i might add....but in this limn is that charming, altho at times elusive, time of life held within as a snapshot you have gratefully reminded us of....eloquent execution...Hear! Hear!

Gary Radice
Date: 6/27/2022 10:13:00 AM

Thank you Timothy. I've now added the word limn to my mind's dictionary - what a brilliant word it is too! (To depict or describe in words) I'm a little behind in my reading of others' work at the moment but I will catch up with your recent work Timothy over the next couple of days. Cheers - Gary

John Watt

Date: 6/24/2022 9:51:00 AM

Gary, I have come to regard you as a philosopher of nostalgia and this lovely write reinforces that esteem. I love how you turn your brief yet vivid childhood memory into a thoughtful musing on the adult looking back at childhood as though glimpsing it through a pay telescope. I really like the line "five misty-eyed minutes / before my sixpence ran out". Your ending is spectacular. A Fave for me. Cheers ~ John

Gary Radice
Date: 6/25/2022 1:57:00 AM

Thanks so much John. This is an edited version of my very first free verse poem I ever wrote in my early days at PS. I'm smiling now as I note the second line: "and without reason"..That's because the poem doesn't rhyme and has no reason to. Yep, this early poem has a smug iidiom type thing that only I could have ever understood at the time of writing as to what it was referring to :) Thanks again! Cheers - Gary

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 6/24/2022 8:47:00 AM

This is so vivid, especially 'merged with the sky' and 'razor blade wind' - feels like I'm on the beach looking through the magnifier to glimpse the departing ship~

Gary Radice
Date: 6/25/2022 1:45:00 AM

Thanks Michelle. I remember many a time looking through these telescopes as a child when we stayed near the beach. I loved doing so. Catching sight of a ship out to sea was enthralling for this 5 year old. The machine made a buzzing noise when the 6d ran out and suddenly everything would go blank. I can remember 55 years ago but ask me what I did last week and I'm struggling. :) Cheers - Gary