Pause For Poetry:
Michael Hawkes /99

Boreholes in Boredom

February 26, 2026

A poem by Michael Hawkes

How lucky one is to be bored

Un-busy, vacant, emptied out,

With no pressing needs to be ignored

Nor future to get riled about.

How lucky to be still at last,

With nothing that one HAS to do,

To not be pressured by the past

With lists of things to follow through.

How lucky now to have the time

To only do whatever one will

And only be whatever one is;

To only move if so inclined,

Relish being heron-still

And find one’s self in this.

How lucky can such boredom be

That grants its bearer liberty

To realize opportunity?

With calm eyes now that clearly see

The good of inactivity,

One accepts that boredom is

The seedbed of our future bliss.

02\01\23 – Hawkes

Feature image: Freepik

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