John Anderson Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

“They who peer through the keyhole forget the door swings both ways.” - Adapted from a French proverb
“The more intently you watch, the more the watched, watches back.” - Inspired by psychology
“You stare at the birds, but have you noticed they’ve stopped singing?” - Adapted from a poem
“To observe and watch is to interfere.” - Adapted from the Heisenberg Principle, paraphrased

Listen to poem:

The watched are watching you

The watched pot never boils.
The watched clock slows.
The stalked knows,
to watch the suddenly still ones, 
that lie moored with anchor bestowed, 
just out of reach, wanting, staring, blinking,
in bated breath,
to sneak a furtive peak, 
deceptive.
The watcher's silence and stillness disclose
the watcher's deception in plain sight.
The little birdie you hope
will not notice you when you freeze
to take a snap, or secret close-up glance, 
is watching you intently.
The watched are watching you,
waiting deceptively on-watch,
as time slows, and 
the game of mutual deception,
plays out.

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