234,713th Terrace

A poem about the unenthralling adventures of Ballsy Eunuch...wait, that has nothing to do with this poem at all...oh well, too late to hit the backspace.

China builds these giant, empty cities.

Apartment towers for no one,

because no one can pay.

Expensive

Expansive

Even the ghosts can’t afford it.

 

On second thought, I take that back.

Maybe there’s just one living soul

manning a shop, watching the clock,

waiting for unarriving customer steps.

And every flitting shadow is a skinny pigeon.

He edits the Ming Dynasty antiques sign.

 

Only lofty gods could spot this sale,

or someone with Google-Earth savy.

 

…

 

Sometimes I feel like this:

Tantalized by the overpriced.

A distant, shimmering thing.

So I make the effort,

do the time.

Inexorably drawn

like a California goldrush,

or pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

 

And for what ?

To gaze from a terrace high

only to watch my reflection stare back.

Reviews

[Helen Crutchett]

Excellent write! Loved the pathos and glaring truth in this.

[Shellie]

This is excellent. Your wording is excellent. I loved the first verse right away coz it made me think 'Thats the truth actually'. Very interesting and very well written. I loved the concept.

[Siddhartha]

Oh, you do get a kaleidoscopic view from 234,713th terrace. A telling commentary on materialism and the the sophistry of stats. Being China's neighbor sometimes I am overawed by it's growth, and oftentimes saddened by the price it's people have to pay for it.

[roarke]

hmm. Lots of stuff going on here. China plans in century blocks. Their population can grow exponentially in one generation. When their economic dominance hits it's stride, watch the numbers grow.

Only time will tell if they planned wisely or foolishly. But then much is cyclical.

The second half of this piece is prophetic, actualizing. A high terrace is a great vantage point from which to gain perspective.

Good juxtaposition with this piece, nice job.