March 29, 2015

Familiar Steps





       The prompt looks similar to my own town, so I took things from there (we're mostly well behaved) but I'm referring to street night life in towns all over. 

'Come unto me', the borough sighs,
amid the air its streets supplies
Offering a multitude 
of promises, the night exudes

Cobbles making ankles twist,  
shines sequins dresses through the mist 
Ladies dominate the clubs
and smirks at all the men she snubs 

Venues oozing pitchy beats
while skin and speakers overheat
Euphoric verse from local bands
as strangers hold each other's hands 

A blind spot found to consummate
that pent up vibe hormones equate
No safety sake and such like sins
watched over by store mannequins 

Alternate night life rarely sought, 
where armies ran and soldiers fought
Replaced by battles outside bars, 
the rush of trains and midnight cars

Homeward boundings of the younger
slaves to mashed heads and false hunger
Statue crowned with traffic cone
whose iron heart has turned to stone

Unmarked cop cars cruise along
preserving peace and drunken song
Until the city's whisper ends
preparing for its deepest cleanse

And in the morning, bang on six, 
the scars of late post-teenage kicks
are strewn like litter on the breeze 
contagious and desired disease

Noise and clutter reign again
business cards and fools campaign
In my town there, familiar screams
till evening's bursting at the seams

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15 comments:

Kathe W. said...

yikes.....glad I live in a tiny town. I enjoyed the additions made to the image!

Unknown said...

THIS is my kind of verse! REALLY good, and more important.....REAL.

I like the attention to detail with the picture too. So a sigh of relief from me here, to read such quality. It is such a pleasure to do so, thanks.

Rosey Pinkerton said...

Ooo errr! It's not like that here in Eastbourne - at least I don't think so but then again I am in bed by 10!

Rosey Pinkerton said...

Ooo errr!

Silent Otto said...

Like a post industrial Tam O Shanter , i find it fascinating ....

Kay said...

loved this!! a sign of our times..perfectly said..x

Berowne said...

Remarkable what you can do to a prompt...

Stafford Ray said...

What tales those cobble stones could tell, but this is reality now, a bit bleak- not the usual Helena.

Helena said...

Kathe - Thank you - nightlife can get a bit heavy here sometimes but I think there's a little dollop of Manchester, too!

Forest Pirate - thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it! I'm usually a humor writer but one need the challenge from time to time.

Rosey - it's not as scary as it seems. I'm taking imagery from the youth as well.

Kutamun......fabulous! I never thought to compare the two but it works..lol

Kay - thanks. A girl who feels the essence of town evenings, too!

Berowne - I alter the picture prompt every week but not so much as one would always notice - kind of stamp of mine, as such. As you can see it's a first class stamp this week...lol....ps.....I'll get your quiz right one of these weeks - only been right twice!

Stafford - I'm usually upbeat and on the funny side. Normal Helena services will return next week. Promise!

Camila Rafaela Felippi said...

Hello Lena.
Beautiful poem.
Indeed, as the night can be so different from the day?

Tess Kincaid said...

When I was there I wondered how women navigated the cobbles and uneven paving stones with heels...

humbird said...

Your lines dancing in match with cobbles...if someone wears the heels...rhythm and rhymes...brilliantly written!

Ginny Brannan said...

Aw, the nightlife of city or large town. Yet some similarities to small towns too. Well done meter and rhyme. Like what you did with the picture, also!

Mary said...

Wonderful imagery and rhyme ... impressive!

Truedessa said...

Great job with the form and rhyming scheme. An interesting read..glad I stopped over.