Men in green raised brown clouds
dusty brooms were tools of wisdom
raised remnants of a day,
cleansed a way to tomorrow;
when the innocents
who suffer choking air tonight will
once again shun bright sun;
for again throngs will flow to crowd
and narrow the streets.
And the day will burn their
substance, tears and worries,
love and laughter; all upon
the fire of passing hours.
They walk lines like cement seams
for a purpose or none at all,
and words and noise of toil
make music, lingers to echo
as something of each clacking step,
act or simple silence;
something of everything lost
given by choice or taken
will fill the emptiness;
a piece of every purpose
gained and trial endured,
become grist of night
settled in bins before brooms
and time
within the ashes of this day.
Author notes
http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/120938-Carlos-Drummond-de-Andrade-Residue
excerpted from "Residue" by Carlos Drummond de Andrade
"So from everything a little remains.
A little remains of your chin
in the chin of your daughter.
A little remained of your
blunt silence, a little
in the angry wall,
in the mute rising leaves.
A little remained from everything
in porcelain saucers,
in the broken dragon, in the white flowers,
in the creases of your brow,
in the portrait.
Since from everything a little remains,
why won't a little
of me remain? ..."
In a list
A contest entry
- Commitment Contest 3 - Invite Only- Questioning A Quote by CarolDesjarlais.
875 points, ended July 26, 2008, 6 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
-
Another poem I really like and which, once again, inspired you in such a wonderful way.
the second last stanza resumes both poems so well.
excellent!
-
as we gather knowledge along the way, we too paint the picture of our lives. We don't always win, and some times we do. Still we have choice. I enjoyed this write very much...
novy
-
"something of everything lost
given by choice or taken
" the crux of it indeed...it depends on what we gather and for what purpose....... bravo!!!pssst!.....
Be really caareful with "remnants of a day"...it is so well=known, it almost struck me as cliche..... inference may have not stopped me so. -
Damn, you're smart.
Excellent work, as usual hon.
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