Somewhere in Time

 

This old man

shuffles in

slow & steady,

poured a gin

changes chairs

drinks his share.

 

Waitress wipes

his space

& dabs his face

loses his place

as he waits an

empty embrace.

                                                                                                         

Straw stands

erect &

at attention.

to serve his will,                     

serve him well

as he pops a pill.

                                                              

Life’s smile

enjoys my face,

and all is good

with my world.

So I shazam

Billy Idol’s

 

Dancing by Myself

 

and realize… I am.

 

The grin disappears

somewhere in time

 

An a*****e screams,

the music stops,

the waitress wipes

my place as I

shuffle out

an old man..

 

alone…

 

and by myself…

 

somewhere in time.

 

                                    

 

Author's Note

written: December 11, 2011
photo: Lover's Key, Florida... January 28, 2010

Reviews

[Angi]

Allen, this gave me glimpses of my father. Very well done.

[Becky C Strukamp]

Somewhere in time! I love that sentence! We and everything around us are out there somewhere...such a fitting poem of what seemed to me as loneliness, watching and waiting as time rolls past one. Excellent poem Allen.

Actually this one seemed a little dark to me, most of your work is on the sunny side of the window, this one seemed waiting in the shades of another tomorrow ...all the same..it was well written and enjoyed. Great work!

[Victoria PoetryBunny]

I enjoy the photo and the poem, the imagery of the scene with great detail. I really like that first stanza that begins the journey of the poem in this imagery.

[Mark]

There are layers upon layers here, that I cannot begin to plumb. I must ask, though, whether the different font for the first line (This old man/ Shuffles in), and the near-last (Shuffles out) was coincidental, or somehow embraces the totality of his life: comes, goes, everything between being either the same or otherwise rendered immaterial?

[Ruth]

Oh wow!
Hon, this moved me, very very good poem!
The emotions held within are gorgeously delivered, I really feel this piece xoxo

[Lily Mae]

I've seen this up close and all too often.. The look in the eye of someone with these exact thoughts is timeless.. At first I thought this was going to be after my favorite movie "Somewhere in Time".. filmed in Michigan at Mackinaw Island with Christopher Reeves lol.. But yours was a surprise beauty on it's own..

[Mary C]

What a poignant, lovely piece of poetry. Well done!

[Shy Girl]

WOW!!! I could sure feel the loneliness here. Very well described and thought out. I enjoyed reading it..thank you for the RR :)

[_]

Dancing by Myself

OH MY JEEBUS! i love that song! as much as i love your peom :) it was so those type of poems that were lonely and left that haunting feeling behind 0.0

[The Winter Grey]

The form here is very stylish, and it suited the message of loneliness you conveyed (and conveyed very well). An enjoyable read.