Friday, July 04, 2008

Fresh-Start City

There's no-one waiting at the intersection
for a woman with two torches, or
a top-hatted skeleton in a black frock coat.
The stoplights blink from red to green
regulating the flow of imaginary traffic
while the amber LEDs on the bank clock
tick noiselessly down to midnight
of what day, no-one knows for sure.

There's no ghost hanging up a pay phone
or slumped on a bus stop bench
by the flashing blue PABST sign.
No restless dead ramble this city where
newspapers slink down the sidewalks
at night, ashamed to show their dates
which are inevitably wrong, but can be used
to forecast losing Lotto numbers.

The street smells of rain that fell weeks ago
in another country. We've sideslipped
in time, and some things didn't come with--
accumulated weight of history and habit.
Now each step of the drunkard's walk
traverses new terrain, and all encounters
are random chance; destiny is dead
or not yet born, in Fresh-Start City.

Collection available! Knocking from Inside

8 comments:

Granny Smith said...

As always, I am awed at your poetic ability! I like those newspapers slinking down the sidewalks. But it's difficult to pick any image that is better than others in this skillfully wrought poem.

Steve said...

Could be knocking at your back door!

danni said...

fresh start city - what an inspiring thought - with destiny either unborn or dead - loved it!!!

Gemma Wiseman said...

This would make a brilliant opening to a sci fi movie! Absolutely loved the atmosphere!

Anonymous said...

i love the smell of the soil when rain falls on it
that ensure how fresh-start it is

San said...

wow. i agree. love the newspaper imagery. this is so good.

Patois42 said...

I'm going to add to the chorus of folks saying, "I love it!" I especially enjoy your description of newspapers. (I see, as an aside, how you define so succinctly why newspapers are in such massive decline. Old news with the Internet.)

Anonymous said...

agree, it's all so good.. tho 3rd paragraph... fell weeks ago in another country and ... some things didnt't come with... great stuff... twilight zone written all over it...