Los Angeles Lingering

I am alone

with a full, untouched glass

of wine.  

 

The echo of sirens pursuing justice

on Washington Boulevard seep through

the window screen, slightly filtered out

by the humming-bird rotation of the fan

cooling-one-stream of direct air into the room.

 

I am left with vague

remnants of conversation,

left behind like rings

from a water glass on the table

staining against the grain of wood;

I knock.

 

I doubt very much that my life

would be the same

 

Los Angeles,

With a black crayon I draw. 

“That’s my house, that’s me,  and

that’s the sun”

 

Maybe,

I won’t move back home

I’ll just keep traveling from city to city

leading lives entirely unlike my former

self.

 

Back to the midnight sky,

with street light reflection

cars, drunken nonsense stumbles home

next door, keys fumble into lock onthe door

and plows its way to the bed

 

I am alone and sad.

 

The vague conversation pieces

of the past keep lingering,

like an orphan in a comfortable doorway

and I am obligated to put these

children to bed.

I need top assure them

that every day will be better

and we will remain well fed.

 

 

Reviews

[Scott A. Williams]

"I am alone and sad."

Before you, I'm not sure I would've known of anyone with the cajones to just flat-out say that. No flowery language to bracket it, no clumsy metaphor. There it is. As far as I'm concerned the rest of the poem exists for that line.

[cest la vie]

Such a beautifully stated poem.. sad, meloncholy and yet a need to reconnect with ourselves. I think quite a few of us will find this hits right into our inner cores..
another well written piece..

[LJW]

Very sad but in a good way. Unique with a real voice. Loved this. (typo inthe last stanza, my friend.)

[Emily B]

one of these days we will find ourselves transformed, I just wonder how many reincarnations it takes to actually get there

[R. P. Coke]

that was powerful. and being a king is not Royal. trust me.

[Lola Nation]

Very true Ed - no matter where I go I take me with me but I will never be that former self :)

[Ed Hart]

my dear, we always live lives like our former self, because our self is not transformed by geography,,,which doesn't mean it can't be transformed...ed