The Closed Sign

Musings in a sleepy diner.

 

The Closed Sign

 

 

In that sleepy diner round the corner

Their blank stares skirt around.

Catch a tear

She stayed up late at night

Now she needs to get out of here.

The spinning wheels,

The scratches on the grooves

The quiet storm thrashes slowly

The waves that slide up to shore –

Licking foams that dress up the sand,

Coffee stains that dry like ink.

Stormclouds roll heavily over like fog,

As the light of the sun break through the grey.

When all the lonely souls left,

There were only coffee stains on the table,

Only stains on the table.

But the boy in the blue-grey t-shirt still sat there,

Nursing his cup,

Singing his song,

Asking for another one.

Sorry, we’re closed for the night.

And the warm presence left cold.

But he’ll be back tomorrow.

The storm will die by then,

It’ll die by then.

 

Reviews

[Blackbirdsong]

I can really picture what's going on in this poem...and see the solitary figure of this young man who is so alone. You really capture the feel of the light night hours and the desperation of many to just latch onto a place or a moment as a source of refuge from whatever it is that is haunting them. This is really a beautifully written poem.

[Sa]

Love poems that capture precise moments in transition. This is really good.

[Debra Stevens Edwards (..]

I felt this was a good write and I felt it but it seemed more of an obession the love or maybe a fastenation.
Debby

[Chloe Madison Taylor.]

killer imagery.
i like it.

[Jeberle]

Great poem! I could really see the diner. Your use of imagery is right on, especially the line about the coffee stains drying like ink. You might consider taking "you" in the first couple lines ("You stayed up late at night/now you need to get out of here") and change them to "he" to connect to the man at the counter later on.

Keep up the good work!