I always knew I loved to walk
the hills above the sea
the paths around the shoreline
the ridge from here to there
the openness
the space

But I didn’t know I loved
being able to walk
to put one foot before another
to achieve a few yards
climb a small hill
reach the crest
breathless

To look back, look down
and see what I’d achieved
to breathe freely again
no longer imprisoned
behind glass

I always knew I loved to write
but I didn’t know I loved
having something at last
to say

Jo O’Farrell
20 September 2013
(with thanks to Linda Pastan’s Things I Didn’t Know I Loved)