Peter Pan

A crisp, cold morning in Hyde Park, 
and he is waiting for his date. 
As joggers jog and poodles bark, 
the girl's unconscionably late. 

He paces London's crocused heart, 
as traffic booms in Piccadilly: 
he's practicing that English art 
of seeming calm, while feeling silly. 

One final tryst beside the lake, 
in front of the Eternal Boy: 
a parting kiss, for old times' sake ... 
she's stood him up? Or playing coy? 

The hotel clerk purrs sympathy 
when summoned on the mobile phone. 
By now, she'll be in Duty Free. 
Well, there it is. This Bird Has Flown. 

He tries to feign the jaunty airs 
of a striped suit on a sandwich sortie, 
but doing drily debonaire's 
not easy when you're fat and forty. 

He tramps the lonely, flat green mile 
to Green Park Tube's unlovely portal, 
but perks up with a cheeky smile - 
well, for a week he was immortal!
Copyright © | Year Posted 2025

Poem

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Wolf Avatar
November 3, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Just loved this one. You certainly have a grasp of London far beyond expectations for someone not born there. Have you lived there? Or are you a 'Shakespeare,' who could write across continents and across centuries with equal parts eloquence and precision? Bravo, Gershon
Coy Avatar
November 3, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Yes, I lived there for 25 years. I'm grateful for your appreciative words. Michael
Toney Avatar
November 1, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Michael, clever poetry, because of the J.M. Barrie moment. Not only because of your title and reference to the “Eternal Boy” statue in Hyde Park, but the realization that his date has stood him up forces him to accept that he has grown older, heavier, and more fragile. His Peter Pan days are over. Quick question: the last word of the last line of the third stanza, “she’s stood him up? Or playing coy?” Any relation? ;-) Congratulations on your top 10 win on Mile 25 of my 2025 Poetry Marathon Contest. Keep your running shoes on, because Mile 26 has already started. Only 1 mile to go before the Qualifiers’ Final Placement contest!
Toney Avatar
November 1, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I had spacing limitations with the first comment, but I also want to acknowledge that your rhythm and rhyme for this one is impeccable.
Coy Avatar
November 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Mark, as you always do, you 'got' all the subtle references. I wondered if the Hyde Park-Peter Pan statue imagery might be too obscure: not for you! You even latched onto the pun on my name! Gratefully, as ever, Michael.
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