Silos stand still
Blood flows buried
Beneath shut off notices and half empty heartlands
Shit in one hand, less in the other
Boarded up banks and big screens in the window
Satellite dish death pumps out kids with no coats
While dad sits crumpled on the couch
He is better now
Winter winds and hunger keep them from the heat
But brick buildings and arithmetic don't last
It will soon be over and the heavy hand of summer
Will smack square on China chins that will quick grow into metal
Pulling heads down and pushing fists up
Shame shifts quietly
Bottles become angry rings on an empty bar
Circles dance dark under empty eyes of the same
Circles dance circles become knuckles cracked from the clinching
From the hanging on
Wishing for the bell to save them from the beating
Blood flows buried
Beneath shut off notices and half empty heartlands
Shit in one hand, less in the other
Boarded up banks and big screens in the window
Satellite dish death pumps out kids with no coats
While dad sits crumpled on the couch
He is better now
Winter winds and hunger keep them from the heat
But brick buildings and arithmetic don't last
It will soon be over and the heavy hand of summer
Will smack square on China chins that will quick grow into metal
Pulling heads down and pushing fists up
Shame shifts quietly
Bottles become angry rings on an empty bar
Circles dance dark under empty eyes of the same
Circles dance circles become knuckles cracked from the clinching
From the hanging on
Wishing for the bell to save them from the beating
wow - i love how you write about such a difficult topic - love the words you use and the picture you paint - fantastic, tight one shot! respect!
ReplyDeleteThank you Claudia. I very much appreciate your kind words.
ReplyDeletewow. a rather bleak picture you paint, but you sure know how to spin the words...both of yours today were superb.
ReplyDeleteAngry and intense. Well done!
ReplyDeleteBrian, thank you as well. Your words are well recieved and I am very glad to have found One Stop Poetry
ReplyDeleteBen-Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment.
One Stop is a great avenue to get me reading other unpublished (and published) poets outside of my own community.
Very powerful lines. Appreciate the repeating circles at the end—adds a nice effect in that it lends to everything that seems caught in a vicious spiral. Great One Shot! thank you
ReplyDeleteA striking picture of poverty and desperation--at least that's how it felt to me. Wonderful writing. Victoria
ReplyDelete