A Different Perspective

Have you ever heard someone describe the feeling of being in love? Oftentimes, it’s described as having the feeling that nothing makes sense, everything seems surreal, or that the world has been flipped upside-down. On the other end of the spectrum, a routine can make us feel cynical and stuck in a rut. I’m not necessarily referring to our relationships here, I’m more talking about our jobs and daily lives. Our comprehension of what is normal versus our ability to challenge our thinking and do something adventurous – or at least to consider another perspective. In this poem, I attempt to propose a different perspective of normal, to those who might be drifting along, accepting the status quo. Those who have a 9-5 job might not recognize the view we have from behind the wheel where the mountains are high and the valleys are low (literally and figuratively); where the cities never sleep and small towns are sleepy; and where it’s cold up north and hot down south, etc. But, if you spend much time on the road, your perspective begins to change, and you can appreciate the sunset on the eastern seaboard and marvel at the majestic awe of a sunrise out west.

THE SUN RISES IN THE WEST
By Trevor Hardwick

This world has a way about it,
Some things never change, they say.
The sun comes up in the east,
And then sets in the west every day.

The winter up north can be brutal,
The summer down south burns you down.
While the city never sleeps,
It’s sleepy in some little town.

While the world goes to work in a high-rise,
Or labors all day, in a field.
I wonder, if they wonder…
If what they do is worth what they yield.

The highway can change your perspective,
Turn the world that you know upside-down.
If you like what you do,
Then take time to look all around.

Have you ever felt warm in a blizzard,
Or blistering cold in the sun?
Has the wind stood you still…
Or the still of the night made you run?

There’s nothing like the sun in Seattle,
And a desert monsoon is the best!
I’ve seen the sunset in Jersey,
And watched the sun rise in the west.

I’ve felt so alive in Death Valley,
And down low on the steep Great Divide.
Are you driving your life…
Or simply along for the ride?

Consider the race that you’re running,
Consider the pace that you run.
If your view never changes,
Then how can you have any fun?

This world only spins one direction,
And you can’t change the weather, I know.
Though your days might seem dim,
The moon, late at night, brightly glows.

The small towns ain’t always so sleepy,
And the cities ain’t always awake.
If the road leads to nowhere,
Then know there’s a good road to take.

The northwest ain’t always so rainy,
And the desert ain’t always so dry.
I guess I’m suggesting…
To go out and give it a try.

Challenge your view of what’s normal,
Don’t trust the view from your desk.
Jump on the highway…
And watch the sun rise in the west.