Perceptions Poem by David Wood

One afternoon last summer I
Sat at my local lake, as I once
Did with Clara, my now departed
Yellow Labrador.

A friend of mine, Len, born in
The Caribbean, came and sat
Next to me for a chat. He's an
Octogenarian with two small dogs.

I wore my gardening clothes, a
Pair of faded blue jeans and an
Old tee-shirt, he just as scruffy
Wearing his faded golf clothes.

You get all sorts walking around
This lake, mums with pushchairs,
Joggers doing their workout, and
Many dog walkers.

A well dressed business man in
A posh suit with a limp walked up
And looking at us rolled his eyes
And frowned. We were too scruffy.

After he walked past I said to Len
I could have managed his accounts
And you could have operated on
His limp. He grinned.

I, a former management accountant
And financial controller, and Len a
Respected retired surgeon. As they
Say, never judge a book by its cover.

I have never forgotten this episode
As we all have preconceptions about
People we see in our day-to-day
Lives, and we should be less critical.

As it's more important to get on with
The people we meet every day and
Build on relationships, than to put
Up barriers based on perceptions.