Bench Warmer

Bench Warmer

 

 

his flawless, 

toothless smile

the missing words

like dentures he forgot 

to put in before his morning 

walk to reach out a hand in hopes

of a few quarters to buy a mere morsel

 

to assume his existence for another night

under the newspaper headlines hoping

he is not one of them in the morning

so he may flash his flawless

toothless smile

and find his

missing words.

 

 

erin-cilberto

2/26/23

Reviews

[William Michael Reeves]

I resemble that remark. I happen to be happily toothless (best thing I ever did getting them out) I'm guessing your guy can't find the words because they slipped out of his mouth silently to resonate with anyone who might be compassionate enough to hear them. And hopefully the lack of shiny white teeth will help him hide from those who have no regard for life.

Your subject just happened to touch on that period in my life without teeth. For a year I had no teeth. My teeth were so flawed that when I finally got them out I felt that the empty mouth looked so much better. Flawless you might say. Poetry works in weird ways sometimes.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

poetry certainly does work in weird ways, but we are probably better off without teeth than without poetry.
thank you, William,
j.

[Dave Brown]

this is an indication of the real gap between missing teeth, going from the sorry vagrant, nightly sleeping on a park bench, to the million $+ sports star who could never spend all his earnings, altho many try!
I am even missing three teeth from an abrupt connection with a very hard head

[jacob erin-cilberto]

oh, those hard heads..dangerous.
j.

[Laz K.]

skill to bring together content and form: this is what you keep delivering on the regular.

it's a crushing experience to face the reality of human suffering all around us. a poem like this is like an indirect question mark thrown up at the sky, wanting to know "Why?" does all this misery really happen for a reason, or is it just another cold, cruel fact of life?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

a question mark thrown up at the sky, that comes back to earth as an exclamation point.
thank you, Laz.
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

An "Ode" to a lost soul... the Crows bring him bits of treasures; the Fox and Raccoon bring him warmth if there is "room" on the Bench-- the squirrels gather nuts to tuck in his pocket. A Rocket goes off on Cape Canaveral; perhaps someday He will "hitch" a Ride. The Music "Hitch your Wagon to a Star". (my first collaboration on this site--unsolicited, but a gift). gently, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Pat, I will check out your collab.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob… actually my reply to your poem Bench Warmer is my gifted Collab to you unsolicited. I will hide my head in a feather pillow and never recover from being a strange happening. Softly, Pat

[Soren]

The homeless too are people just like us. They feel, have needs and are able to smile. A wonderful poem

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Soren,
j.

[Earthrise]

hi jacob. i just wanted to thank you for this poem because it touches on a subject i care a lot about. the lack of compassion we have for the people who need it most, the people we abandon. it's one of the greatest sins in a world guilty of many. thank you for calling it out

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Earthrise,
j.

[Nima.Hope]

Sad story of an oldman with no tooth! What can we say?? We are get used to silent our morality for people in need..................
Nicely done, sir.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

so many here, and there we are in other countries giving support...something wrong with that picture I think.
j.

[Nima.Hope]

It's again the dirty policy which does not care for people. The benign ones are these governors and the hard one was Adolf Hitler! They have many things in common such as not caring for the weaks.....

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Seems to be about an old newspaper seller, i like the fab structure and pattern your awesome poem formed as well. Kudos for a fine poem!

Plz also read and comment my newest poem too, my highlighted topmost one, if you are well .

[jacob erin-cilberto]

he might wish he were. Thank you S.
j.

[AYVID N]

A great depiction of old age existence, its a day at a time, to live, to smile and to keep looking for his perhaps hazy words.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, divya...
yes, we all live a day at a time and are thankful for each one we have.read morethank you, divya...
yes, we all live a day at a time and are thankful for each one we have.
j.

[John the Baptist]

No doubt about it, homelessness sucks. Especially in cases like the one here, where the individual described seems to be elderly. And yes, predators do seek out the weaker members of the herd.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

predators instead of helpers...a bad situation indeed.
j.