i.
we crawl between paper and railing
secrets of length
ripped open by rain acid of tears
falling to flesh
flesh
falling to rain
rain swallowed
gutter to drain
lights of the city
vibrant and new
place object to window
lined in grace
dances of freedom
exquisite spacing of step
passing and pausing
beauty well spent
the keeping of secrets
contained in the wine
merlot of the moment
brings warmth to the soul
as flesh melts into dark
in the corner of promise and pain
between paper and rail
between paper and rain
ii.
not New York
used jewels hang from
aged pubic hair
elevators reveal more than
mirrored caviar and quantity
points accumulate
street corner drugs
offer aspirin and condom
street lights
offer repentance and reprieve
this is not New York
this is not Paris or London
this our daily bread gone underground
money and merchants
change hands in the black
no free pass to heaven
its points we lack
bkmackenzie
2016 (copyrighted)
Powerful reflection we should all take to heart
ReplyDeleteThank you Martin - Merry Christmas to you and yours...bkm
DeleteThis is great and gritty... the rhymes just in the right places, the images in the second poem is startling... love this.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for stopping in...bkm
DeleteDark underbellies present here and a narrative that spikes my conscience with something I can't grasp quite yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you Paul for stopping in and reading...bkm
DeleteI just adore the way you executed rhyme here!!❤️ Especially "dances of freedom, exquisite spacing of step, passing and pausing, beauty well spent."
ReplyDeleteThank you Sanna for your comments...bkm
DeleteI love modern city poems specially showing the dark side ~ This is my favorite part:
ReplyDeletethis our daily bread gone underground ~
Thanks for joining in ~
Thank you Grace much appreciated...bkm
DeleteI liked the phrase "daily bread gone underground" and the photo taken close to the street and unfocused lights in the distance.
ReplyDeleteA great thought provoking poem. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI lived 5 yrs on Long Island, many visits to the city.
ReplyDeleteWonderful job capturing the light side and darker side of the city, any city. Powerful imagery.
I especially liked:
"as flesh melts into dark
in the corner of promise and pain
between paper and rail
between paper and rain "
This is strong, colorful and alive. I need to get downtown soon-
ReplyDeleteThank you ...bkm
Delete"no free pass to heaven
ReplyDeleteits points we lack"
`wow!
Thank you Maria...bkm
DeleteBefore and after the fall, these stations of night. From a place between "paper and rain" to "our daily bread gone underground." Are we passing between ages, administrations or simply age itself. All of it, yes, and growing up here.
ReplyDeleteYes we are passing between ages and like the country we have false dreams of going backwards- but life will not let us...bkm
DeleteLove the poems, I love the closing line of the second one, it is cruel and up to the point, I can feel it. I also really liked this part:" passing and pausing
ReplyDeletebeauty well spent"
Thank you Selena for your comments they are appreciated...bkm
DeleteI like this part the best: "the keeping of secrets
ReplyDeletecontained in the wine
merlot of the moment
brings warmth to the soul"
Hello! Grace here from D'verse~
ReplyDeleteCan you please contact me at sometimesg@yahoo.com ? Thank you ~