Summer in the City

It's frigging gross out today

The heat lies thick and palpable,

Like a wet, woolen blanket

Draped across the shoulders

Of a fever pitched world.

The street corner milkmaids and

Trashcan Mavericks

Hide in the shade of an alley

And whine like bumper-struck dogs,

Stinking and panting inside milkcrate mansions.

No one talks about anything small anymore.

Or asks for change for a dollar.

They just lay there with their hard-luck-advice, and lipstick smeared across their sweating faces like some red light district made out of of bad decisions and Demerol.

But the sun still rises,

And she never relents.

We all have our roles to play.

Reviews

[Papaya]

We went through a heat wave recently. It was gross.
You paint such a bleak scene of inner city streets here. I feel for those "trashcan mavericks" I always keep a tender spot locked in my heart for the homeless. My office is in downtown Toronto and part of my regular routine was reaching into my pockets to give as I could. I'm not sure that happens anymore. Not just because people are working from home more but also because people are more careful now about touching or interacting with people who aren't wearing masks and appear unclean. Trashcan Mavericks is a very effective word combination.

[Dripping Chocolate Madness]

Thank you, yeah I liked it a lot, myself :)

[Papaya]

I've never been the "feature review" before. I feel honoured. I should write longer comments more often.

[Dripping Chocolate Madness]

I've tried to figure it out before, I'm not sure how they do it...
Being literally the ONLY reviewer might help though ;)

[Dave Brown]

powerful piece for a 'not a writer'
"Streetcorner milkmaids
Trashcan mavericks
bumper struck dogs
milkcrate mansions"
These are all beauties, wish I had those sorts of labels internally brain bopping and applying for poetic pursuits

[Dripping Chocolate Madness]

:) thx
Trashcan Mavericks really stuck with me lol
I've got to find a friend to start calling that