Sometimes in the eyes
a picture of life there, in the expression
an artist might retell the story,
but it could be an accident.
Mercy Street was closed off, last night in my dream;
a large barricade, no one could cross.
I could see buildings on fire, billowing smoke
fierce blazes, and fearful faces,
and one man… went into the fire.
My great, great grandmother used to pray every day,
she put her head beneath an empty tub, to pray.
Faith and courage,
I have thanked her with my happiness.
A habit from Mercy Street;
the whole street is burning now,
and barricades everywhere;
faces are full of fear, and mothers hold tight to their purses
and children hold tight to their mothers,
except one… has no purse,
just a smiling baby, nothing but a smile;
the man who went into the fires has returned carrying a bible;
they say he carried an old man from the building,
the man gave him a bible, it has a smoky singe.
I looked into his hopeful eyes
and I saw the whole story,
how he loved his mother,
and his father was a mean man,
and he would marry and raise a family;
and give them his whole life.
Mercy Street had burned to the ground,
and we all left in soot and
sadness except for those two,
purse-less woman warmly and lovingly embraced her baby;
old man saved held his heart,
still shaking in disbelief.
I wrote all through the dreamy night
until my hand cramped, still on and on;
the story of the end of mercy,
all quite by accident.
Author notes
author: Peteskid
Inspired by Anne Sexton
In a list
A contest entry
- closes today by Melissa Gayle.
300 points, ended August 13, 2007, 4 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
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Amazing. Life. Mercy. Amazing.
An accident...I think not, but wow! it works so well here to point out the limited perspective, even of the writer who understood so much in the scene, in the saved man's face, in the purse-less woman's calm affection. I do wonder at the accident.
You speak of what is important here, and do so with such delicacy, almost understatement. The contrast of the peaceful ones is all the more quiet amid the turmoil of the burning and the others' fear. I just love that effect, and the truth it represents.
I was so touched by the picture, and on multiple levels. It causes me to consider fear, my own, others' and its validity in the midst of mercy. It makes me consider peace, and its validity in the midst of flames.
Your language manipulation was subtle, but excellent as usual. The ending stanza provided such beautiful unity to the piece, and quite the emotional climax. You truly show the effect of the scene upon the writing man, and transfer it to the reader.
Excellent.
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For reasons somewhat difficult to explain, this is one of my favorites of all that I have done so far, and one of the few i really like. Thank you so much for reading...PK ...
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Loved it, congrats on the gold. It was well deserved. Such a beautiful poem. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.
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You walked me down Mercy Street with your words. Thank you for sharing.
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This one wasn't bad at all. I did like that first stanza like Melissa, but it just didn't keep me. I could see the story, but it didn't blow me away.
Feel free to enter again, though. :]
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Wow, a most beautiful narrative and so deeply meaningful and heartfelt. A truly touching piece. Congratulations on gold!
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A beautifully penned piece, it flows like water, the images tender and emotionally spoken, almost in a whisper. LOVED IT!!!
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Excellent! What a great deep write this is. I saw so much in it that you didn't say and to me that makes a great Poet. Obviously a GOLD. Congratulations.
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Wonderful story, full of images ... the buildings, mothers, children, the man running into the fire, the old man and his Bible. Such a touching story of Mercy St. And the part about your Grat-Great-Grandmother praying under a tub was a welcome addition. Well done poet! Well deserved Gold! ....JustBreathe
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I think that first stanza is just my absolute favorite, it totally captured me.
This is excellent, I believe it is one of my favorites by you.
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This is beautifully done, the story set out so poetically in your soft pen and the ending is sorrowful yet thought provoking.
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Very well done here.
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My great, great grandmother used to pray every day,
she put her head beneath an empty tub, to pray.
Faith and courage, I have thanked her with my happiness.
and
wrote all through the dreamy night
until my hand cramped, still on and on;
the story of the end of mercy,
all quite by accident.
are my favorite stanza. They literally made me choke up. You are a beautiful writer.
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