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City buses bounce and jolt
As though to loosen every bolt.  
The shocks must be missing,
A leak would be hissing.  
Or is it the potholes at fault?
Mariah Apr 18
When we all see
That when they said
It takes a village
It was meant
Literally
Bello.
Non ** idea del perché.
Ma è bello questo paesaggio.

Grazie, cittadella in riposo.
Grazie, cielo puro e ammaliante.
Grazie, finestra cara,
che mi hai dato la possibilità
di vedere questo invisibile spettacolo.

Case semplici, piante non molto alte, alcune secche,
come in una terra all’industria
del necessario e il minimo per il buono.

Luce di lampioni
che illumina disordinata le strade,
come se il panico diurno fosse
congelato nel tempo dalla luce.
Eppure, anche nella pace,
l’uomo lo trascina con sé.

Tralicci che tagliano un cielo
senza nuvole e senza stelle,
non degno di essere amato dagli urbani,
che cercano solo il bello canonico,
antico, sterile.

Ma fortemente illuminato dalle città, il cielo,
che lo uccidono per convenienza.
E noi, sordi,
nemmeno ne udiamo il grido.

E poi, laggiù in fondo,
oltre l’autostrada,
altri grandi lampioni.
Pagane colonne d’Ercole,
Ignorate per voler del nostro
antropocentrismo,
lasciate a sbiadire
sul fondale.

Tutto nel silenzio di un istante
che non si apprezza più,
perché è memoria lontana
il tempo da perdere.


Non è nulla di che, a pensarci.
Eppure mi affascina.
La prima volta che, forse,
e dico solo forse,
trovo la magia nell’ordinario.

Forse ora capisco i grandi scrittori.
Forse la capirò meglio anch’io,
se davvero c’è magia.

Comunque,
so solo che questa visione è ferma,
vuota, angosciante per certi versi,
disperata,
morta.

Mi fa paura.

Ma, nonostante ciò,
mi fa stare bene.
E ne sono grato.

Grazie, cittaccia assassina.
Grazie, falso cielo ormai defunto.
Grazie, finestra svelatrice,
che mi hai permesso di vedere
questo melodrammatico spettacolo.

///

Beautiful.
I have no idea why.
But this landscape is beautiful.

Thank you, citadel in repose.
Thank you, pure and enchanting sky.
Thank you, dear window,
that you gave me the chance
to see this invisible spectacle.

Simple houses, plants not very tall, some dry,
as in a land of industry
of the necessary and the minimum for the good.

Light of street lamps
that illuminates the streets in a disorderly way,
as if the daytime panic was
frozen in time by the light.
And yet, even in peace,
man drags it with him.

Pylons that cut a sky
without clouds and without stars,
not worthy of being loved by urbanites,
who seek only the canonical beauty,
ancient, sterile.

But strongly illuminated by cities, the sky,
that **** it for convenience.
And we, deaf,
do not even hear its cry.

And then, down there,
beyond the highway,
other large streetlights.
Pagan Pillars of Hercules,
Ignored by the will of our
anthropocentrism,
left to fade
on the seabed.

All in the silence of a moment
that is no longer appreciated,
because it is a distant memory
the time to waste.

It is nothing special, if you think about it.
And yet it fascinates me.
The first time that, perhaps,
and I say only perhaps,
I find magic in the ordinary.

Perhaps now I understand the great writers.
Perhaps I will understand it better too,
if there really is magic.

In any case,
I only know that this vision is still,
empty, distressing in some ways,
desperate,
dead.

It scares me.

But, despite this,
it makes me feel good.
And I am grateful for it.

Thank you, murderous city.
Thank you, false sky now defunct.
Thank you, revealing window,
that allowed me to see
this melodramatic spectacle.
When the view talks
Damocles Apr 16
Black alley cat,
Strutting down the walkway under the red light
Where are you headed tonight?

Pur in a stranger’s lap
For the taste of milk and honey
You’re the buyer's choice for affection
And you’re getting off on the attention.

Dig your claws into the satin,
Go on and meow out to the moon
When you’ve gotten your fix
You can go on to the next,
Feline sway in your swagger
You’re playing loose with your life.

One down and eight to go,
As you slide down the pole
Back onto the catwalk
You are brazen and bold.

Bewitch them with your hazel eyes
And bat at their souls,
You’re just a black alley cat
Strutting down the walkway under the red light
Don’t know where you’re headed.

But it’s been such a long, long night
Return to where your bed is,
All the catnip and the money won’t save you
Can’t replace the shame that outweighs you
Fur down to the floor as you’re singing a sad tune,
Was it worth it?

Black alley cat,
Strutting down the walkway under the red light
Where are you headed tonight?

Black alley cat,
Don’t break curfew,
Can’t keep you from your delights
But if the dogs can’t stay astray
I fear one may chew you up and leave you
Under the red light, in this alleyway
Crying out to the moon.
This is something I wrote while playing the guitar. I was thinking of the song "Roxanne" and all of the *** workers downtown trying to chase happiness or a fix.
ChinHooi Ng Apr 15
When it rains, some people run a little
tucking sighs into their collars  
my knuckles tap lightly
on the backseat window
shattering a string of clammy
question marks
you said, we met too soon
before we’d learned how to love
and now I’m grinding restless days  
sharpening them into matchsticks
waiting for a sunny day
to strike some sparks
the rain, keeps stitching up fissures  
while the city slips and slides in puddles
our conversations hang  
like wet clothes dripping on the laundry line  
awaiting the next sun to dry and turn them into  
transparent answers.
souletry Apr 15
a candle dances and burns in a distant window
while the city beams as if the night
never needed any light.
As if the flame screams to be what illuminates
the crossroads and windows.
Bound to its wick.
A candle who wants to be a star, to join the sky all eyes find peace in.
Longing to be more but still fulfilling
it’s sad purpose.
Tears of wax, only full of potential in the dark.
The city hums an artificial tune,
the candles wails the song of your essence.
Yearning to explode in the sky though
condemned to glow in isolation.
a candle dances and burns in a distant window
to give all eyes a warm welcome.
while the city beams as if the night never needed any light.
Dreams of ignition without restraint.
Still only wax and wick.
Destined to soften, burn, melt.
Still it shows off its light.
Not because it’s seen.
But because it cannot help but glow.
think of beauty and the beast lol
Decembre Apr 8
City sound. Distant cars
Neon light and cigarettes
A comforting haze.
Maria Mar 28
The night fell down with a silk sheet.
The city sleeps.
The night is walking silently
Through concrete heaps.

She treads regally, barely touching
The dark stones.
The night has come, smiling lordly,
Into the throne.

The night's happy. It's to her liking
People's dreams.
They're sacred. All men in them
Are almost saints.

Well now, the night rejoices and rules!
It's her time!
She scatters the stars and the moon in the sky
To sublime.  

The night put out all lanterns
In city's streets.
The city sleeps quietly and soundly
Without all feats.
Night is the real queen! She has her own rules and laws. I bow to the Night!
Thank you very much for reading this poem! 💖
kevin Mar 27
i own a delapidated apartment complex
transfered to me in obligation of legislation
this is a single watergate
a gate from which i am responsible to provide moisture
the ink publishing rights i have are civil rights
they are not civil rights violation
i have not committed treason by causation of fraud in the legislature by mismanaging legislated possession and title of house
the timeline and events in historical record that have handled these paperworks are not able to re handle the violation
i have handled my paperworks without clerical error
my paperworks and identity are not in question
my paperworks and identity are my personal property
neth jones Mar 25
applause of pigeons lifting   a cluttered company
they high circle hurt  between winter stark          
apartments brittle      and settle in braver             
perch and concrete sill
 frosted  but in the sun
17/03/25 (aprox date of original observation and notes)
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