As “Flamenco Sketches” resound in its final notes,
I light a cigarette, pose & savor a thought.
Exiting the pub to a street rustic & dim,
bluntly evade the beggar with a mocking grin.
Hailing a cab I notice that I am broke,
& affirm that I had intended to walk.
On the first corner passed, in postures extravagant,
The town youth assemble, talking loud and defiant;
Yet as I approach, airs of grandeur shift to aspects of stupor,
One would think in their midst suddenly strolls the reaper.
While on the adjacent rue,
a prostitute in a silky black dress,
leaning on a pole, & in wicked ingénue,
luscious incitations transgress.
Yet she gazes in dread as I whisk by,
Appearing about to utter her very last sigh.
Steps on the pavement ascend,
As the mind straying transcends,
To the initial thought in the first stanza,
& the lover that awaits in the distant plaza.
Time rapidly consumed, I seek a shorter route,
An alley to my right, though damp & obscure,
What the hell, it's just another detour…
I wake seconds past, bleeding and feeble,
Recalling the plunge, impact of the marble,
& the dagger within treacherous hands.
My assailant bears a familiar stain,
the beggar that persisted yet found no claim.
He must have been a sight of awe,
trekking in my trace like a famished crow.
& though my rapturous pursuit he did arrest,
whispering “all yours” I sarcastically jest.
A contest entry
- Life Is Uncertain...Near Death Experience... by SummerlandRayne.
499 points, ended August 27, 2008, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Short.Stories.And.Poems...So.Many.Choises...x by Popping Balloons.
450 points, ended July 1, 17 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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Great job. I like how this flows and carries the reader along on the journey. We get a real sense of the environment and the feeling of the night. Great images and a solid piece of writing!
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Never mind, it is a word, I looked it up on the interwebs. Sorry 'bout that mate.
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Very nice and pleasantly ironic. Luscious incitations transgress is hard to read, partially because I'm pretty sure incitations isn't a word and partially because it's just an adjective, then I don't know what, then a verb, with nothing else in there.
Regardless of that line, this is very nice.
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nice little tale of city life you have pened here i enjoyed the read take care and the best of luck to you in the contest
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Your poem shows the pitfalls of living in the city and it looks a little scary. Nicly written.
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Very well written! I like the way it tells a story with so many images and descriptions. It flows really well. Wonderful job!!!
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Wonderfully descriptive write. There's a good rhythm to this, combined with excellent metaphors and verbiage.
Good luck in the contest, and clappy dudes!
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What waits for us around the dark corner? We never really know...excellent write. Thank you.
Az
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This is quite good and very well written. Good luck in the contest, though I highly doubt you'll need it ^_^
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I've never read your writes before, but I definately enjoyed this one. You describeb everything so well, it was more like watching a movie.
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Deliciously dark, with a twist at the end. Love the person who can laugh at themselves. The imagery of street life and walking down dark, mean streets is the stuff nightmares are make of. Well penned.
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