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chloe sings the blues

Missing image

 

 

 

 

chloe sleeps
until the moon
colors her tail any color
but white

then she stretches
like their goodbyes
and sits
patient as ice
waiting

for seven year bourbon
her eyes
repeating stories
about those nights
how he sings better
drunk
and within
the guitar of her
grin


she sighs
it's too soon
i can't stand the noon
it's just not the same shade
of his eyes
he's still sleepin'
but i'm done dreamin'
chloe
sing me the blues



only two things a man
can't live without
a woman

and her cat

sumpin' bout an itch
just gotta get scratched
like old records
and the bumptey bump
bumpety bump
tween little rock
and memphis


yeah i miss that gal
and that furry lil' cat
that purrs them blues
finer than bar-b-que
down on beale
on a satdiddy night

barefoot after midnight
and the moon slantin'
her sunday mornin' eyes
like a choir girl
with a lil'
to confess

yeah chloe
sing me sum blues



and chloe knows
about that hat
the one she wore
waiting on bus number 142
it wasn’t their fault
her whiskers reply
these things just happen
to you

she nods
at the small face
kinder than an starry ozark sky
but this house already
has two
i’m bound to this brick heart
this roof
this ring
and that until death do you part
sorta thing


i think her name is jan
and he’s her memphis man
and she’ll own him autumn
winter and spring
but come summer
when he’s a’travelin’
between wichita and abilene
i’ll fall a’sleepin
listenin’ to him softly sing


but until then
while the moon
is a bottle of glue
chloe sing me those sugar sweet blues



i love when the girl
makes this black cat
moan
wailin' in that darkness
til the light of day
and the way
she opens me up
that hip-shake babe
brighter than
an august moon

and i will forget
the slicing absence
and frosted pumpkin gnomes
say goodbye to cold turkey
corn canned family
and let my jeans fade
in her blues
in her scratch
in her bones

the stars in her eyes
the roof of her thighs
watchin' her swing
beyond this
broken ring
when neon
and chloe collide
there is nothing left
but this slow-burn
dance of the damned
of hello
and always goodbye

god
i got the blues



chloe
i’m so sorry
you know i tried to go
leave this withering shell
but i’m afraid of what happens
when dishes start crashin’
and oh in his blue eyes
shines the sadness of hell

so i’ll just hold you
like i’ve held him
and maybe
just for a spell
i won’t miss you
and tell jan
no
i’m not ready

for chloe is still singin’ the blues



man
i miss that cat
but i'll shed some more hair
down the bumpety bump
and melt some more cubes
on this loveseat
gone cold

meebe a lil' coltrane
to put me in her mood
and try to forget
them sunday mornin' eyes
half open
for me
half closed
for him
and someday
i'll tell her
with my slide
on
that finger

i'll play sum blues for you



and again past the summer
no green left in her eyes
she says:
chloe
i only have you

and again pass the summer
as his last smile dies
he says:
chloe
i only have you


and though the night is still a'swingin'
and though the sun is still a'beamin'
only the stars can hear the singin'
a'singin' of those little chloe blues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author notes

our love childe chloe

In a list

A contest entry

Please tell me what you think

    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?)

Comments

1 - 28 of 28
  • I love the feel of this, and the imagery was so gorgeous. I admit, I had a hard time following from place to place, but overall, the achy, somewhat nostalgic feel is so captivating...it's stunning.

  • beautiful, definetly captures the sound of the blues, while the words full of meaning and an original, involving story and great details and images.

    my only critique would be that i had a hard time keeping track of who was talking, about whom, didn't seem like it was consistent throughout but wasn't clear when/if it shifted. so i had a bit of a hard time following it, maybe it was just me, but i found interesting and engaging nonetheless. also seemed weird to me how the "voice"/style of the first two stanzas seems different from the rest of the poem, abrupt shift, nothing much else that echoes or frames the "chloe blues"

    but this really is an awesome poem, well-written and a pleasure to read.
  • Nice

    Though the voice is uncertain from parts to parts, the poem is a great success.
  • WOW. This is an absolutely awesome poem. I loved it. It's definitely a poem that I'm going to read over and over again...the story, the imagery. It's wonderful.


  • xSarahx
    July 6

    Edit | Reply

    Wow!

    Bravo! That was awesome. I like how you wrote the words how they are spoken in the poem/song... Yeah it's pretty sad, but warming on the soul at the same time. Great job, you really know how to speak to the soul!


  • Mad Moon silver member
    July 6

    Edit | Reply
    Just WOW!
    I'm left speechless and breathless.
    I'm raising my glass to you this very moment!

  • oldpoets
    July 6

    Edit | Reply
    Very worthy of gold. I could feel Memphis in your wonderful words.You have captured the city and its music so well.


  • Hekate gold member
    July 4

    Edit | Reply
    This is so amazing, and very well deserving of the gold shine. I almost didn't want this piece to end!


  • malmadre gold member
    July 2

    Edit | Reply
    So right! spontaneous outpouring that comes from the heart with something substantial in every line. I only traveled it once, but unforgettable is that "bumpety bump" between Memphis and Arkansas. There is a lot of life and bumps between your lines.

  • awesome. Really good stuff. You took me there, man

  • Music, memories, and loyalty warms the heart...what a combination! I enjoyed reading this very much and wondered about the melody, as I assume it is a song as well as a wonderful piece of poetry.

  • beautifully done

    It plays over and over slowly around in the mind, the meloncholy moments that you played out in this piece. If a write has texture I'd say this had a velvety blues feel to it. wonderfully done my friend and much respect to you. image and visions

  • Such beautiful words. The imagery is wonderful...


  • LadyUnique silver member
    July 1
    Edit | Reply
    oh wow... simply wow!

  • Congrats to you both...This poem wouldn't look right without gold decorating it
    Ty for gracing my contest with this gem
    Lynda
  • with the two of you writing I would expect nothing less.

    phenomenal.


  • JamesLinde
    June 30
    Edit | Reply
    The best poetry i have read on this site so far. Simple but deep. I love it.


  • poet2angels silver member
    June 30
    Edit | Reply
  • beautiful, vivid, bluesy in style and tone, atmosphere-rich. a really fine, unique work.

    i loved the following:

    then she stretches
    like their goodbyes
    and sits
    patient as ice
    waiting

    for seven year bourbon
    her eyes
    repeating stories
    about those nights
    how he sings better
    drunk
    and within
    the guitar of her
    grin


    i also liked:
    she nods
    at the small face
    kinder than an starry ozark sky

    kudos!


  • poet2angels silver member
    June 30
    Edit | Reply
    omg

    You are killing me...
    Made me sigh
    cry
    and this poor heart
    & almost die

    and once again in 24 hrs, Sir, I am speechless...

    My reputation as a chatterbox will be ruined...

    I am more than amazed


    This is more than Brilliant and
    bookmarked when I need to sigh cry and
    almost die again


    Lynda


    • onerios13
      June 30
      Edit | Reply
      Hi Lynda! Well, as Chloe's 'momma', I just wanted to say thank you for being so kind to Muddy and mine's little chloe...lol. She's very special to us and it just does my heart good to see you appreciate her so. Thank you again for the kind words.

      • poet2angels silver member
        June 30
        Edit | Reply
        You are so welcome!
        Muddy advised me that this was a collab and so now I get to meet Chloe's Momma!
        Yes, this touched my heart so, and I was just delighted and amazed with the entry..... Thank you sooooooooooo much!!!!!

        Lynda

  • symitar Moderators member
    June 30

    Edit | Reply
    I see a smoke-filled room with low cut dresses, cigaretts burning like fireflies bumpin', and I hear some good ol' belly-rubbin' blues - nothin' better than that - this is raw and rich and steamy. Good work.

    sym


  • Malabu
    June 30

    Edit | Reply
    Mudds man...this is simply an outstanding piece...I could not help thinking a melody to this flow of art..tuggin at me as though I was a guitar string...It ain't got just rhythm and blues...its got much much more...it's got a soul...im impressed by the talent you and oneros13 have penned...still I cant help thinking what a great song this would be...I say...put it to music...not just to read...but to be strummed on your rockabye baby
    Mal


  • Faithbound gold member
    June 30
    Edit | Reply
    Splendid.

  • P.S. BOOKMARKED and I will be back (alot most likely)
  • This rarely happens but I am just SPEECHLESS! Phenomenal, absolutely! I'm in love with it and I am just speechless! Sorry to be so vague, but I really am!


  • onerios13
    June 30

    Edit | Reply
    Sigh.

    She's just perfect.

    She might have her momma's looks, but she is the sum of her daddy's soul.



1 - 28 of 28