night life

night life


daughter of darkness
too many daddy's
to speak of,

some with slight hand
some with heavy hand
she has the scars of the street

finds her avenues
acrimoniously,
thumbing rides,
backseat bedposts
positions in an unaccustomed society

he nods,
she turns away even as she turns toward
a few bills,
a few meals

a dilapidated room to rent
her heart rented out by the hour
her body a vacant hallway
a neon sign

daddy comes, daddy goes
and the biological sentiment
drained from birth

the umbilical cut
with violent words
shameful images ignite in her head
as she bends toward the rainbow

her skies always cloudy
a shielded moon 
of being. 



erin-cilberto
1/17/17

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

"Daddy comes, daddy goes"...and baby remains trapped in the "vacant hallway" of her body... Oedipus...So much tragedy is starkly and grittily described here, from "the umbilical cut" onward into the abyss. "Her heart rented out by the hour"..profound, remakable, brilliant.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, and keen insights, Annette.
j.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

You always manage to convey some bit of beauty within even the darkest of places. I really appreciate the introductory stanza along with:

"backseat bedposts"

"daddy comes, daddy goes
and the biological sentiment
drained from birth" (particularly sad)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Linda Marie...appreciate your words.
j.

[Isabella Ivy]

You have done well to convey feeling surrounding this type of life. I appreciate this piece very much! I.I.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, I.I.
j.

[Isabella Ivy]

My pleasure!

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Sad and a tawdry a tale of hollow pretence and desperation as some find a way to survive despite the risks, humiliation and danger. Captured in stark brutal words and metaphors Jacob!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, John....

j.

[apennylate]

Downright dirty, you can feel the thrum of the streets when reading... A dank vibe, and a somewhat powerful story concocted from grime and misery. The stark reality faced sometimes is not a treat...Artfully penned...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Silente.

j.

[apennylate]

Of course...

[Ted Kniffen]

a well written ode for the ladies of the evening and the lives they lead. By speaking for one, j. you speak for them all.

Reminds me of Evelyn Lau, one such young lady who lived the life. She is quite the poet.

Good write.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i have to look her up, thanks for the words and the reference, Ted.

j.

[Bala Gorthi]

Very moving write Sir. Why Some girls/women have to be in that situation seems like an eternal injustice to me.
Her skies always cloudy a shielded moon of being. For no mistake hers. A pathetic reality that makes us sad and humanity ashamed.
Thank you for sharing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, Bala.

j.

[Troy Henson]

Very moving piece Jacob. Begs many questions....ones which I don't think there are clear answers for. Quite the though provoking write. Thank you for sharing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Troy.
j.

[Emily Muir]

That is a wonderful piece. It is full of emotion and has a powerful message, I enjoyed reading it very much :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Emily.]
j.

[Lydia Shutter]

A gloomy sky without stars hangs over a person such as this. How sad...heartbreaking...that a woman needs to sell herself for a few dollars. So often these women had mothers who were forced to do the same thing. "Who's your Daddy?" takes on a whole new meaning. Powerful words, Jacob. Lydi**

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it does, doesn't it? thank you, Lydi..

j.