Nickel and Dimed

 

I paint the sky

Like Pollock

A brilliant illusion

The beauty of this world

Fades with the twilight

Where’s the beauty at 3 AM?

Everything looks cold and tired

A dream within a dream

I know the future

Because I have seen this all before

 

The blacktop, like contusions

They lead to the scene of the crime

Nickel and dimed

We are all looking for change of some kind

 

The harlequins ‘neath the neon lights

Have mouths like razor wire and

Eyes like snuffed out cigarettes

Saintly or sinners, who the hell cares, but

Somehow I always get caught in the middle

I take a drink as I ponder this riddle

Reviews

[Gaia Octavia]

You had me at Pollock.

The first two lines are SO strong and immediately grabbed me and drew me in. In fact, the first two lines of each stanza are amazingly strong, interesting, and chock-full of imagery.

While I find the beauty of the world in the night, this piece really spoke to me. I could clearly see a small room with a writer at a little desk, kept up late by the urge to put thoughts to paper. A long forgotten cigarette smoldering in the ashtray while the writer takes turns between staring glossy-eyed out the window, sipping on their drink, and putting words to paper. Very unique imagery throughout and very well done!

[Larry Dyson]

like the surreal sound of this mixed metaphor"Nickel and dimed

We are all looking for change of some kind."