Two minutes to midnight
Heat shimmers rise from sidewalks, neath
a full moon…on a hot summer night.
Sirens echo in the canyons of the city…
the wail of banshees…harbingers of doom.
I join those gathered close…round a young
man’s body. He lies…silently, under a theater
sign that proclaims, ‘Now Showing’.
At two minutes to midnight…he takes
a final breath…and light fades from dark,
staring eyes…in a too young face, as black
as night…his blood…bright crimson on the dirty…
littered, once white tiles. “Only a boy I say…a pity.”
And think ruefully, of how…in life, he might have
bristled at the appellation. I feel somehow…lessened
by the loss, and wonder…what man he might have been?
What hopes…dreams, he might have held?
And then think sadly, of how, in death’s finality,
they no longer mattered
Author notes
I wrote this after seeing a news story
A contest entry
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What did you think
Comments
1 - 6 of 6
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Very Heartfelt
It is sad to watch the news and the images that stay with us. You have penned a wonderful poem with stuning imagery to bring the reader into your poem. I enjoyed reading.
You take care.
Hugs and Smiles
Bless You, Sandy
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Good write, just not the sort of originality I'm looking for.
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Freakin' great
I feel it tip of the hat no more to say.....chael
p.s. just put two new ones in if you'd care to look short but sweet about the children.
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13.4/25
I really love how you put this forth -
Great alliteration.
Full of emotion and so true.
Thank you for taking the time to ponder this,
ITNC
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I really loved this write.
I felt it, and can say the emoition was real, whether it was contrived through a news story or not, you felt genuine feelings when this man died.
Love,
jin
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