I’ve built a lot of fences in the backyards of my life
To keep out complication and to keep out all the strife
They say they make good neighbors, those walls of wood and stone
The ones who make the bold proclaim have fences of their own
To keep the good dog in and to keep the bad dogs out
To muffle evening arguments who knows what all about
The fence it stands in wind and rain, a barrier of sorts
Holding back the outside world, the imposing rude retorts
Two by fours and rusty nails, hang there on upright posts
Cement and block all stacked upon the row of concrete hosts
My view extends just but a ways till stopped by barrier sound
Could I not gaze so far beyond where not a fence was found
Other eyes I have succeeded in stopping from their probe
But wouldn’t isolation bring an awful lonely globe?
The higher I have built my wall the less my garden grows
Brilliant sunlight just outside but shade is all it knows
The corn and carrots have been stunted in their growth
Along with me the recluse tenant who identify with both
So bring the wall down just a bit and wave a friendly smile
To your neighbor just behind the wall of defense and of guile
Let the sun come pouring in and let the garden grow
Pet the neighbor’s friendly dog and only then you’ll know
The wall that keeps the trouble out will keep the trouble in
When it starts to be torn down…life will just begin
David Kettler
Well let’s see….the beginning of summertime in Bakersfield. Sitting outside on a cool Saturday morning or maybe sipping ice tea on a warm evening. Looking right into a wood fence complete with sprinkler stains and all! I guess this is where I started thinking about this poem. Anyway, I enjoyed writing it about as much as the sitting outside thinking about it!
This also is one of my favorite poems.
To keep out complication and to keep out all the strife
They say they make good neighbors, those walls of wood and stone
The ones who make the bold proclaim have fences of their own
To keep the good dog in and to keep the bad dogs out
To muffle evening arguments who knows what all about
The fence it stands in wind and rain, a barrier of sorts
Holding back the outside world, the imposing rude retorts
Two by fours and rusty nails, hang there on upright posts
Cement and block all stacked upon the row of concrete hosts
My view extends just but a ways till stopped by barrier sound
Could I not gaze so far beyond where not a fence was found
Other eyes I have succeeded in stopping from their probe
But wouldn’t isolation bring an awful lonely globe?
The higher I have built my wall the less my garden grows
Brilliant sunlight just outside but shade is all it knows
The corn and carrots have been stunted in their growth
Along with me the recluse tenant who identify with both
So bring the wall down just a bit and wave a friendly smile
To your neighbor just behind the wall of defense and of guile
Let the sun come pouring in and let the garden grow
Pet the neighbor’s friendly dog and only then you’ll know
The wall that keeps the trouble out will keep the trouble in
When it starts to be torn down…life will just begin
David Kettler
Well let’s see….the beginning of summertime in Bakersfield. Sitting outside on a cool Saturday morning or maybe sipping ice tea on a warm evening. Looking right into a wood fence complete with sprinkler stains and all! I guess this is where I started thinking about this poem. Anyway, I enjoyed writing it about as much as the sitting outside thinking about it!
This also is one of my favorite poems.
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