What I Remember

I came here when the walls were still wet

silhouettes of Ezra lingered 'bout the halls

and the cafè had just opened

I remember the scent 

fresh new chairs with bodies and blood thumping

the red carousel that later broke and

the laughter up on the rooftop 

on starry summer nights

I made friends here

people I'd fight a war just to know

and some I held on to

It was small 

hardly any room for the dust

certainly no graffiti or lies

just poets corrupting poetry

the way Hemingway broke Santiago 

from the sea

we came to die here

Was it a first for me, 

well it's in the blood

but no, too many poems before 

back then everyone could smoke up the rooms

as for shoes, they were just silly options

I came here when the air wasn't swollen

if you can believe it

course few may remember it now

But we were built of stone

friends through and through

something special 

like poetry

Now, I don't know

people believe in stranger things

play games with their own shadows

and some are maliced for this flame

They write headaches  

and choose to believe in the frost

hell, you can hardly even tell someone your name

without paying the devil off

No, I came here when the river was still clean

the walls white as December

Modigliani drunk as the rain

Oh, the floorboards may still look the same

maybe a nail here and there

but just watch your step

write your poetry and go on home

But then again, what the hell

order something real 

something extra special

here in the cafè 

if you ever get the chance

Reviews

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

I did not come here until they shut poems.com( the ole blue) down...Do you remember when...I cannot...I have become the poet that cannot recall the words.I do miss you all.

[Perdition]

You came with us A. … one of the originals as I recall as well we did a brief atop over in Ken land and then Big Mouth Bass helped me find this place and I know what it feels like to have those words disappear on ya. My lasted a brief while but it was no fun at all. Miss ya too Amsterdam :) Thanks and that was around 2004 or 2005.

[Ken Simm.]

It was a rebirth. I've been here for a long time. Twice and am so grateful for all that have read me and commented for good or occasionally for ill. Oh all right I'm not so grateful to them. It has been a bolt hole and a refuge from so much. And you poem reminded me of just why I am here.

[Perdition]

Well, first of all, appreciated as in yes the Cafe..Here! Here! Something special that I think still has some edge left but secondly for the sweet lamb of honesty placed, graciously, 'pon the table in consideration for slaughter..Just as it used to be. It still can be and should be a place where poets come to die and spill their minds without much ado, and always the prey for wolves to devour in whatever manner they honestly wish... openly...you'll find no reprisal here for that. It is after all..Poetry Ken. Thank you for this truth... Brilliant!!

[Gee]

2014 I first visited curious to see whether or not my simple fayre would be accepted as okay by others, thankfully on the whole it has.
Back then there seemed to be a better class of poet, poets that would critique, this done giving reasons for their words and often offers of assistance to help improve and for this I'm truly grateful.
There are some really kind, talented folk on here, these out numbering the f#@k wits, which is why I stick around.
Enjoyed reading you today :)

[Perdition]

Should’ve been here a decade before…we “really” told each other what we thought… lol. Thanks for sharing your story as well an absolute honor. Seems to me it’s all still here just something got into the river for a bit but so long as we speak about it I can see the otters returning and the stones skip all the same. See ya on the rooftop
and soon as I come off the mountain I’ll look forward to returning the favor. I think you may have just given yourself a new handle in my book… hahaha. I’ll post a morning pic to share the mountain… why am I here again? 🤷🏻‍♂️😂

[Gee]

Enjoy your break, take care

[Perdition]

A poet? Enjoy a break?? NEVER!! … lol. Will try and back soon… smiles all around and spread ‘em for me till. I’ll shut up now :)

[light and ashes]

"No, I came here when the river was still clean."

This place was here for me, when I rediscovered my life.
I can remember being so excited to just have one person review my poetry or one of the very few short stories I had written, which were still poetic in nature.

This was the rebirth of my poetry and for writing, for me, altogether.

This place was a well of life for me. Unfortunately, it would also be my death, but like human beings are known to do, I took things to far, eventually.

I was not on here in the super early days, but I got here before everything was so crowded.

I swear, it seemed almost magical to me, then.

[Perdition]

Oh come on.. you’re a newbie and a reminder of how good it used to and still can be both poetically and friends wise…”too far” is where the differences in life are made. You remind me of the laughter and rooftop days and I hope you don’t perceive or deceive yourself any other way, other than the norm which you know here you’ll always find no need for apologies. Hell, I’m barely paying attention… lol. Your name’s on the wall and rooftop too Thank you A- cat/extra child… now help this old man back up on the roof would ya?. :p

[light and ashes]

Sure :D
I've been here since 2010.

[Perdition]

Newbie...lol. I thought you looked familiar, so you were the one that sabotaged the red carousel ..D****t! liked riding the blue-green seahorse! Ah well. Were you ever on MySpace? Prechangeover days when we all lost thousands of poems to the "switch monster" when they changed from A to Z without really too much warning...Now that was a cruel thing/time!!

[light and ashes]

Oh, yes, you know youve seen me around here before, but in different form..
and i never used to show my face on here before.

Ive been hiding in the shadows for years.

[Alisa Js]

Oh, to be innocent again and feel invincible! Nothing could stop us then and really, nothing can stop us now. Those who whisper in dark shadows will ultimately be exposed by the light of day, usually sooner than later, but exposed they will eventually be. The passion that lives in the hearts of true poets will never fade. Charlatans, on the other hand, will blow away with the wind... good riddance.

[Perdition]

🤔 at the heart is a time, a duration and hopefully a reminder of why we all stay up with a madness in our hands and a creed in our hearts although sometimes perhaps they should be reversed. I include if not put myself at the top of the headaches… ;). Thank you as always ole soldier… ;)

[Perdition]

Meant endearingly as you were one of the originals as well you know…and as Morrison said so well …” Get together one more time” ;)

[Alisa Js]

" One more time, indeed". Carry on...as you were

[John Alexander McFadyen]

You offer us here a classic piece of modern poetry that many in the cafe will recognise as a metaphor of passing time in this place. The references to Hemmingway and Modigliani are cleverly inserted. I had to leave the cafe for a period after being trolled and having my page cloned. Yet when I spent my first few years here there was nothing but good things shared.

[Perdition]

Wonderfully said sir They kicked you out? Self imposed sabbaticals, which is what I’m hearting are sometimes the best if not the kindest of actions any poet, let alone person can take. Glad to see ya back here and I see your name on the wall! Returned reviews when I come down from the mountain later this week and I’m back in the basement at the keyboard. Till then thank you for sharing your story here. An honor really as we’ve all been demonized or victimized at some point and it makes me laugh cause that’s what we are at our finest.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Amen to this, Perdition. I came here in 2008 I believe.
Was different, seemed safer to share.
Now there are a select few, you among them, who keep the original idea of the cafe alive.
Just sharing poetry and inspiring each other with our words, not our slinging of mud and deception.
You say it perfectly here. My only question is:
May I have another look at that menu please?

Yes, walls white as December.
You are one of the poets who keep me here.

[Perdition]

Well, first of all, apologies, as I am in the mountains making apple butter and just now got internet reception as every poet should want…lol. And secondly, I echo everything back your way and thank you with fingers snapping and taps of the cue . I came here in 2004 when the paint had not yet dried and everything you’re saying still applied and applies if we just keep on keeping which I think we are, How could we not? Honest to the bone and dedicated to the cause!! The poetry shines through the blood, thumping as ever and always! There is time enough to die, I say we “rage and rage, then rage again against that dying of the light”! Thank you for this beautiful review. Sorry and sorry again for the delay but smiles through and through Jay!! See ya on the
rooftop~

[Chris Shaw]

I came here for poetry after posting on.a site that had been overtaken by vicious trolls. I thought I had found something different here, only to find that after a time, there was more stuff being posted behind the scenes on the grapevine than on the board. Where you could be blocked because of whose poetry you read and without the blink of an eye. I try hard to get on with everyone but have found however hard you try, there are some who just don’t like your face. Your posted poem today, triggered me lol. Not in a bad way I might add. I was pleased to stop by. Seems things were better here in the earlier days. All the best.

Chris

[Perdition]

Thank you, Chris~
I fought a war and shut down a site over the title of one my poems ..a site that charged might I add but afterward, I stumbled into the cafè when it was new and all of us had hungry hands and gorilla teeth, anxious..we were poets and the tires were thin here. I still miss those shoeless days here but they're never coming back, and this has been my home for too many years, whatever people believe there is just no changing their minds so I'll write my poetry and remember how it used to be...maybe get up on the rooftop on that occasional starry night, although I think it'll just me and maybe you if ya want..lol. Pollock perhaps? I'm still going to be me, so watch the weather cause ya just never know..lol. Take care and thank you...It's what we remember, strange as it may seem. "Shoeless Joe" ~