by Gregg Rowe
1969
I asked my mother one day
as she stood and looked out into the
golden wheat fields
when we could go to the city
'and why would a nine-year ole wanna go to the city?'
she asked with her sad hazel eyes
'just so we can catch
the outline of the skyscrapers
as they turn grey in the dusk night;
we'll stop at the side of the road
not making a sound
as the city's lights draw a halo
around its shadowed edges'
1999
my son asked me the other day
as we practiced baseball in the backyard
when we were going to visit the country
'what's a nine year-old going to do in the country?'
i looked at him with my professor's eyes
'i just want to set up a campfire
pitch a tent,
sleep under the stars,
hear the night noises;
watch the moon lay
a blanket of light over
the fish in the fresh
river water.'
Author notes
Childhood Memories (2002)
Oil on Canvas 12 x 14
Gregg Rowe
Collection: Alain Paradis
Written March 28th, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- live while u can by wishuwereirish.
300 points, ended February 5, 2006, 5 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 14 of 14
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Mmmm, this was a lovely sunny tale to tell the grandchildren over a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Plus you can't really forget the marshmellow now, can we?
You're imagery seems so must better than I remember. You make the reader see what you're seeing. It takes talent to do that.
Signed,
Postmarked Obituary
The artist formerly known as Tainted Goddess
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Splendid!
Country living at it's best! I like your style of painting, Gregg, and also your descriptive poem. Best wishes<3~with a hug* -
Excellent
What a beautiful write
I loved the layout of this, and the change of perspective. This kind of reminded me when I moved to Canada for the second time with my family, I loved the beautiful scenery and sense of space, and then after a while I really wanted to move back where it was busy again in England. Well, i'm here in England now, and i'm yearning to go back to Canada!
The oil painting is lovely, it really fitted well Thank you for both your memories and mine. Take care and much empathy, Kate 
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I have always lived in the city Gregg, but always enjoyed the trips to my Grandmothers where we could roam the fields, take a picnic lunch, by the time we reached the foot of the mountains it was time to turn around and go back to my granmas where my Dad used to have Rabbit stew made from the rabbit's he caught, home made bread, mmm this brings back memories, and I love your painting~Love~Joan
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A wonderful poem which I liked a lot Amazing poem with interesting visions- the first little boy (you? I'm not sure if this is in a persona or not) wants the city and his (your?) son wants the country- both want what they haven't got and both want opposites that are just as beautiful. A wonderful poem, a wonderful painting and a great way of putting them together Thanks for commenting on my poem- I used a bit of biblical reference in it as well as my imagination so it came off very abstract Keep writing
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i think i would prefer after looking at your version and my version to obliterate them altogther and replace it with
'as city lights curve
around its shadowed edges'
Do me a fovor, it is long but I need to be critiqued on one now that I want to polish to a stone and it is 'AIDS = Angels in Dsguise Series' in my Angels in Disguise Folder on my front page. I will critique a few of yours after I am fisnished writing this poem I am working on. -
I grew up in the country, and when I turned 18 I moved in with my boyfriend, to the city. I loved the city life though I still longed to be back in the country...Now we are living in the hills and I long for the city lights once more
This is rather lovely. I am fastly becoming addicted to your poetry.
as the city's light draw a halo
around its shadowed edges'
would "city's light draws" be more correct? "draw" doesn't seem to fit in with the present tense of the text.
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YOU have the talent to bring the picture to life~
Give it the oxygen needed to breathe
The vision for those without sight
Just within the descriptions I read~
bravo my friend~
Big hugs
and much love~Desire
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I used to think when I was a kid, that I would grow up to be a journalist...lmao...and travel to all the big cities all over the world and write the news and see city life once and for all. That isn't how it came to be though. I have lived in but a small city since, and honestly, other than convienience I can't recommend one...lol... I mean...I felt like a caged animal! This is a wonderful poema nd it shows that there needs to be a bridge between the city and country...at least for a retreat from the ordinary life routine. Great write and best of wishes as well....~genielassie~
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:sigh: your poem and that later comment are so beautiful. I Have always wanted to live in a smaller more "free" place, such as the country. I loathe cities, but never have lived in the country. I find myself taken to the wilderness in my thoughts, but they leave at the snap of a finger. I often write about these little visits, though I know no place like them. Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. Trust me there are more health hazards here than probably anyother city in the USA. The only beautiful things here are the sunrise and sunset. Best of luck to you in the contest. I share your longing
Edited on Mar 30, 2:27 p.m. because ''. -
My sentiments also, once raised in the country it is hard to leave that behind...there is something so peaceful and virginal about roaming mother nature by yourself as she whispers to you through the trees under a full moon. (I have truely missed those innocent days of living in the country.)
Edited on Mar 30, 1:06 p.m. because 'spelling (as usual), why don't they put the spell check up here for messages also'. -
Oh this isn't fair...I grew up in the country as well and today I sit in my apartment withinn walking distance of everything from a shopping mall to a drycleaner... As I teen I wanted out of that small town so bad.. now there are days I would do almost anything to get back there. Thanks for this double view... I guess you can take the girl out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the girl. Susan
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jenneddin: I can't hide any of my thoughts from you, can I? hehehe! The exact comment that I strived to reach for in the poem and from your comment it looks like I have accomplished my feat. That is the position I am in right now, when I was a child I wanted to move to the city where my brothers and sisters were living and then when I did, I now long to move back to the country for the fresh air for health reasons. And then one must look at the masculinity and feminity of the poem...the young boy wants to move to the city...where all the men work and is full of concretness and maleness, later in life as he has settled in the city, his son asks to go to the country where mother nature is looking after everything. (This was the societal times during the 1960s, fresh from a WW and recuperating in the countries, males had to move to the city to regain economic strives.) Thanks for the commnet on this fresh poem.
Edited on Mar 30, 11:22 because ''. -
This is a delightful read.. Reminds me of when I lived in the country I wanted to live in the city, now that I've been in the city for awhile, I dream of living in the country again... lol. Go figure..
Anyway, I enjoyed this telling.
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