City of Alley

Truibtle back at ya for having questions and songs

I listened to those songs

like a strange new souvenir

the clouds, the stars all of us slouched down in jeans

 and leaning back into the stillness and rooftop  

The sun cut its way into

another night  

black now steel on blue canopy 

memories and wings humming all up as one 

and then I turned it up a notch

deep inside I wanted to spit into another abyss

into the red clay of the canyon where

the sandstone crawled out of me 

though not in the marrow of any sheets

but in its laughter again

And all of it a scream over the pounding of box cars

See I don't believe you quite realize

you can turn back most hands your way

I played with the matchbox traffic, the 

grassy goats and thin black jacket like a drape

the screeching of brakes and smell of some cinnamon coffee shop

It all broke away in the morning's spine 

I listened to the music, the birds with fresh leaves

all giggling at me

still a fixture on the roof and then darkness 

I watched it come again

not by storm or confusion or strange emotion

See I'd been there for hours 

trying to learn how to break 

playing this jazz, in the city of alley

and then in that moment I thought there was nothing

that wanted a thing from me

For a moment 

there was nothing

I thought the silence had reached out to get me

but I don't think,that’s what it was at all

I felt more wanted than ever before

stars, the halfmoon, a new American darkness,  and no one

truly asking for names 

and all of us settled up into freedom

So on that rooftop, as the sun rose with its opera again

dusting the light off from my treasure

I felt as if I could breathe again

as if someone was listening

Is that even possible 

Author's Note

Photo by Federico Rizzarelli on Unsplash

Reviews

[Lisasview]

Hi there,
Did you mean to write spit or did you mean split?
Either way I think it works...
I have gone back and read your thoughts at least 4 times and each time I find more interesting thoughts.
I love the way you play with words.
I believe that anyone that reads your work is made to think..and that is always good.
Ofcourse what you write is up for interpretation...
Whatever lies deep within your thinking I always enjoy reading it....
Lisa, typing with my left finger because I broke my clavicle bone a couple of days ago

[Perdition]

Well, first of all, I just now saw this, so terribly sorry for the delay, but I hope it was a worthy break… Lol. Thank you so much Lisa view, I meant spit, I always go back and double check, but thank you for triple checking, and for the wonderful words and kindness. I’ll be by as soon as possible, as I have sort of a hectic schedule as we all do. Take care of that tapping in that clavicle because that sounds very painful! Smiles and appreciation~

[Ken e Bujold]

I wanted to split into another abyss/ into the red clay of the canyon know how that feels friend

riveting read as per usual P

[Perdition]

Thank you Ken...read my last two comments to J's review and you'll know why I must come back...UNBELIEVABLE START!! BUT~ I will be back!! Soon as I can...could be an hour could be November...you just never know, Least I haven't since the age of 5 years old. Wild days~

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"it all broke away in the morning's spine"
Love that line...
I don't think they wanted anything but to hear the music and chill...your sharing of that is enough...your sharing of your poetry is enough...
and there is always someone listening.

[Perdition]

Who exactly are "they" J? Am I being " Followed?". "Watched? Are they those Underground Wild Interpreters of the disclaimers to our own Mr. Goodman Beaukowski...(GOOD GOD MAM!!..The howling non-officiant, so to speak, and judgment to all things forced into the mistaken lobbies? ) I sensed it when I lead your poetry in another direction so as to give it a "menacing edge" as there is no correct meaning, and also to offer up a possible education for those unfamiliar fans. Poetry belongs to the ethos and the reader once released into the masses...Where is that
guy anyway?...lol. Oh yeah...over there...lol. Thank you J, you are always on the edge of a new corruption as well as our much-needed evolution into those new outlooks that are waiting where we are never looking, all always with the wrong wrong bats and the proper every eye pointed toward the wrong horizons, (Yep. Mr. Thompson ~esk in his Fear and Loathin in Las-Vegas chek-in counter as well as his room...lol). You banged the door down without apologies and hung up your hook in the Poet's misguided interpretations with kindness~Much appreciated Teach and long-awaited as well~ Much appreciated!

[Perdition]

Next time need to get more than less than four days of sleep.. always wondered why the Poet is not offered the opportune to update his comment

[Perdition]

HAHAHA~I was just going out for a midnight walk and found out it was daytime...no sleep. It is strange but I'll be up after a catnap. "Perdition" right. It is a strange life but makes for an interesting one without question..lol. Thanks, J. I will be back after I get ...I don't know...something in the way of sleeo ??

[willweb]

Often, when night returns from wherever it has been hanging out and the heat of the shingles begins to cool, our minds start to wander through the neighborhood, darting from streetlight to streetlight, asking questions of the songwriters about why they wait until so late to begin. Some of us have to get up in the morning. I like this free flowing poem that asks questions while writing about questions. It is a journey that was fun to take. Thanks for sharing

[Perdition]

That's just it though...none of us really have to get up in the morning. not If we really don't want to. Yeah, there will be a price to pay and our questions will go streetlight to streetlight and so we'll end up strumming our guitars at the crosswalks and stoplights, panhandling for a Cinnabon but in the end..what do we want..most of us? It's to be heard..to feel like somebody is listening and to have hold of an honor we can believe in again. Well..it was a great conversation and had me asking questions about questions as you put so well. Hey...I enjoyed your poetic style of reviewing btw..been tending to that particular lantern myself for years. I always found that it helped me to think a little smoother back when I cared about being smoother..hahaha , and then it became almost like an accent! Anyway, all of this to say Thank you, greatly appreciated willweb,

[willweb]

It was my pleasure. I enjoyed it.