A quiet walk becomes a journey of thought and feeling. As the body moves slowly, the mind races ahead—holding doubts, small hopes, and unfinished dreams.
It’s about accepting the distance still left to travel, and finding peace in simply continuing forward.
# On the Way #
He walks slowly,
but his mind runs far.
The road is long,
quiet under his feet.
The dog pulls ahead,
sure of each step.
He is not.
The world is full—
too full to hold.
In his pocket,
small broken thoughts
wait to become something.
“Still a long way to go,”
he tells himself.
It doesn’t hurt.
It just is.
And so—
he keeps walking.
(Vijay Verma)
www.retiredkalam.com
Categories: kavita
Retiredकलम 
The first line happens to me sometimes when I walk, too.🤭
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Haha, that’s actually the most relatable part of the whole piece 🤭
It’s funny how your body can be doing something so simple—just walking—while your mind is miles ahead, replaying things, imagining things, solving problems that don’t even exist yet. Almost like you’re in two places at once.
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very nice .
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Thank you so much.
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Wow, this is relatable. That quiet walk where your mind does all the real journeying. A powerful reminder that simply keeping on is enough❤❤
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That’s beautifully said—and honestly, you captured the heart of it better than anything I could add.
It really is like that… the outside world slows down, but inside, everything keeps moving. And maybe you’re right—maybe not every walk needs a destination or a breakthrough. Sometimes, just continuing, just putting one step after another, is already enough ❤️
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This is simply beautiful, sir. Thanks, for sharing.
I can relate this happens to me daily. 😀
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That’s such a lovely way to respond 😊
It’s always special when words don’t just stay on the page but quietly echo something we already feel in our own daily lives. The fact that you relate to it so naturally says a lot—it means the poem isn’t just being read, it’s being lived in small, everyday moments.
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I’m going to assume you did this picture and its simplicity it is lovely. Was that watercolor or pastel?
I am dangerous with pastel as my wife gets mad at me for leaving the dust.
It looks like Luna and I walking around the neighborhood. Walks are special and I see you see it the way as well.
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If you’re talking about the piece above, it actually carries more of a watercolor-like softness in its feel—even if it wasn’t strictly done in watercolor. That loose, slightly blurred simplicity is what gives it that calm, walking-alongside-you mood.
And honestly, your “pastel dust trouble” made me laugh—pastel artists really do leave evidence of their work everywhere. Your wife’s reaction is… very understandable 😄
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There’s a quiet restraint in this that really works.
That contrast between the body moving slowly and the mind running ahead… it’s simple, but it lands. Especially that line “it doesn’t hurt, it just is” — that feels very real. Not everything needs to be dramatic to be heavy.
It also made me think how most of us are exactly in that space… carrying half-formed thoughts, unfinished ideas, still moving anyway. That image of the dog being certain while the person isn’t… that says a lot without saying much.
You’ve kept it minimal, but there’s a lot sitting underneath it. It’s the kind of piece people recognize themselves in without trying too hard.
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That’s a really thoughtful read of it.
You’ve pointed out the exact tension the piece is trying to hold—the mismatch between motion and thought, and how that gap doesn’t always announce itself loudly. It just… sits there and follows you around.
And yeah, that line is meant to feel almost underwhelming on the surface. Not as a dismissal, but as that very specific kind of honesty where naming the feeling would actually make it heavier, so it stays plain instead.
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Nice painting!
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Glad you liked it! 😊
What stood out to you the most in it—the colors, the mood, or something else you felt in it?
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This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing, and warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada.
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That’s so kind of you—thank you for taking the time to share that.
Warm greetings to you in Montreal. There’s something special about knowing the poem traveled that far and found a quiet moment with you. I’m glad it resonated.
Wishing you many peaceful, gentle days ahead 🌿
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A gentle yet profound observation of the inner wanderer, beautifully illustrating how the rhythm of our steps often creates the perfect, steady pulse for the soul’s most restless reflections.
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That’s beautifully put—thank you.
There’s something about walking that settles the noise just enough for the deeper thoughts to surface. The rhythm doesn’t force anything—it just holds space, and the mind begins to untangle itself in its own time.
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The colors and the calm mood while embarking on a long journey!
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That’s a beautiful way to put it.
There’s something about that mix of color and stillness that feels like the start of something—quiet, but full of possibility.
Not rushed, not heavy… just that gentle moment before the journey really unfolds.
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