Black Bird On a Wire

Black Bird
Sitting on a wire
Why is your back turned towards me?
Do you wish to hide the intelligence of your eyes,
or do you wish to create some mystery?
I have seen you
Here at this old dump
Picking through the unwanted wanted things
I wish I could search along with you
Check out what the Jones's have no more use for
The bits of unfixed
The not new enough
Their "I think we deserve the very best"
"This ain't good enough, let's buy more and more stuff!"
At one time
I wore their discarded clothes
Wore them without pride
I should have been proud
For I dug for them with wanting hands
Hands that waded through decadence
Refillable 
Recyclable 
Usable
Black Bird
I watched you and your brothers
As you feasted on our last suppers
Ripping open black bags
Fighting for morsels 
Unconcerned with the rotting
Intoxicated by fermenting fruit
Pungent aromas
Bones that needed to be picked clean

Me noticing but not recalling until now
Back then
I was hoping 
Praying for a bicycle
Desperately wanting to ride far away from here
Escape  my then
My embarrassment
My, I hope no one sees me!
"Garbage picker!"
"Where did you get that coat?"
"We threw that in the dump!"
Boy oh boy do I like clothes now.
No one makes fun of what I wear!

Part of me wishes to return with you Black Bird
To see what I left behind
Reclaim
Recycle that little boy
But I can't
The dumps aren't open anymore
It is like those old bones
Bleached
Picked clean
Manicured
Items placed in appropriate piles
All the while
You sit on your wire
Back turned to me
Intelligent eyes hidden
Knowing I can't disturb you
In a while you will feed on yesterday
For this place 
Is not closed to you!
Copyright © | Year Posted 2015

Poem

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12
Promise Avatar
September 14, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Great poem with imagery, I love it!
Lamoureux Avatar
September 14, 2015 at 1:39 PM
Thanks Rainbow, I appreciate you looking it up. This one was a journey into my past.
Nayak Avatar
July 29, 2015 at 2:18 PM
A very meaningfully and intelligently written poem ......i loved it:-) several emotions are interlaced connecting it to a black bird!!! Too good Richard Lamoureux!!! Love, Anulaxmi:-)
Lamoureux Avatar
July 30, 2015 at 9:17 AM
Thanks for the thoughtful words. Drop by any time for a visit.
Canerdy Avatar
July 6, 2015 at 11:42 AM
It's easy to see why this poem won! It is wonderfully nostalgic and bittersweet. Congratulations!
Lamoureux Avatar
July 30, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Thanks so much Janice.
Manassian Avatar
July 6, 2015 at 9:08 AM
So proud of you for your fine win, Richard. :) SO very proud! Hugs
Lamoureux Avatar
July 6, 2015 at 9:22 AM
Thanks Eileen, this is poem means a lot to me. Hugs back to you.
Nunez Avatar
July 5, 2015 at 9:17 AM
Congrats Rick! Humbled and honored to have my poem with your superb one on the winning list! hugs
A   Avatar
July 5, 2015 at 3:10 AM
Congratulations Richard :) LINDA
A. Sharma Avatar
July 4, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Great creative write Richard! Congrats on awesome win!
A  Avatar
July 4, 2015 at 7:43 PM
Richard :) CONGRATULATIONS!!! Thank you for supporting my contest. LOVE SKAT :)
Hamilton Avatar
June 8, 2015 at 6:52 PM
a most profound write Rick great stuff hugs
Lamoureux Avatar
June 8, 2015 at 7:48 PM
Thanks, this one holds a lot of meaning for me.
Makama Avatar
June 8, 2015 at 3:27 AM
This is adorable and extremely cute. Your soul just diffused into mine to wonderfully correlate with your message. Great work friend and thanks a zillion for visiting my page. I hope to be able to attract more of your attention. Once again this is an awesome piece of creativity. selah!
Lamoureux Avatar
June 8, 2015 at 7:30 AM
I'm surprised you found this one "adorable and extreamly cute" it is a rather serious and emotional piece. I do thank you though for reading it and commenting.
Bernabi Avatar
June 6, 2015 at 8:11 PM
Very well done Richard and I'd say you're a thinking poet. Great train of thought empowering the muse and yes, many seem to get overloaded with yesterday's junk which can spill over into ones tomorrow and thus stalling life more or less. Thanks for sharing this amazing read.
Lamoureux Avatar
June 7, 2015 at 8:07 PM
Thanks Charles, much appreciated.
Thirtyseven Avatar
June 4, 2015 at 1:38 PM
Gosh mate, that was quite some read. Love the use of the Jones's. That whole sense of the junk yard being full of yesterdays. Thought provoking stuff, well done.
Lamoureux Avatar
June 4, 2015 at 9:45 PM
Thanks Scott.
Walker  Avatar
June 3, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Well done Richard. Manifesting a thinker's thought... Rated 7 for you unique way of expressing yourself! Empowerment achieved. Verlena
Lamoureux Avatar
June 3, 2015 at 11:45 AM
You are kind Verlena, I appreciate your visits this morning.
May Avatar
June 2, 2015 at 11:51 AM
A powerful and interesting write...And one that I can relate to...best wishes
Lamoureux Avatar
June 2, 2015 at 5:33 PM
Thanks Joseph!
Labeau Avatar
June 2, 2015 at 7:20 AM
I once wrote a piece called the boutique on avenue A and if only I knew how to transfer document to poetry soup you could all read it on a piece of fabric I was famous to go through garbage and never sale my pussy it is for free and told cowboy the pimp to take a walk as he used to wear the hat do not mind my comment I just tell it as I see it
Horsman Avatar
June 1, 2015 at 9:17 AM
another really special poem from you,,,you are so observant...nothing seems to escape your wondrous pen...
Lamoureux Avatar
June 1, 2015 at 9:27 AM
This one flowed from old memories. Thanks for showing appreciation for my story.
Duggan Avatar
May 30, 2015 at 7:33 PM
Oh Richard I do like this one, it reminds me so much of when my brothers and I were very young, we lived in the bush and often visited the rubbish tip, in fact all our bikes came from there, Dad put them all together for us, my brothers used to find old clocks and take them apart, it was fun, oh those were the days, take care..............Vera....
Lamoureux Avatar
June 1, 2015 at 9:30 AM
What a great comment, I am pleased to have both you and Peter read this one.
Kamoonpuri Avatar
May 30, 2015 at 2:20 AM
Woah relatable in a way! I have seen vagabonds rummage through the garbage truck and find real valuables. So i enjoyd this delightful freeverse poem and how the witty raven acts. Kudos! Great to read frm u again.
Lamoureux Avatar
May 30, 2015 at 8:20 AM
Thanks for coming back to read my work.
Haight Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 3:36 PM
Wow...Richard...your poem gave me goosebumps. This is so powerful with emotions you've gathered from life and presented to us so magnificently through your silent conversation with the black bird. 7+Fav, Sandra
Lamoureux Avatar
May 30, 2015 at 8:23 AM
Thanks Sandra, hugs Rick.
Lariviere Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 12:19 PM
The black bird looking down upon the black sheep, beautiful poem!
Lamoureux Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 3:06 PM
Thanks my friend.
Dietrich Avatar
May 28, 2015 at 3:31 PM
wow, what a very clever and thoughtful metaphor. You are such a deep thinker with a way of putting it all together. GREAT poem.
Lamoureux Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 8:04 AM
Thanks Andrea, I guess that would be better than a shallow thinker;0)*lol*
Lindley Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 10:47 PM
The blackbirds are creatures we made, feasting on the decadence and waste we pride ourselves in being able to create. I see obits of wealthy people leaving millions to a family pet(s)--when there are kids dying of disease , poverty, etc that never enter their minds to give to. Humans first is my motto. We have souls. Fantastic poem. A7..
Lamoureux Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 8:04 AM
So true! Thanks for commenting Robert.
Leiser Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 6:45 PM
I almost missed seeing this magnificent poem, Richard! Such depth of feeling, painting an amazing picture of overcoming the hardships of life! A 7!
Lamoureux Avatar
May 29, 2015 at 8:05 AM
Thanks Laura, all things worked out in the end.
Nunez Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 1:08 PM
An intriguing piece with its title. Once again , you have shown your mastery and deep perception on human nature. I feel that whenever I visit your page, I get to peek at the inner workings of man which you can pick and rip open for all to see. Great work!
Lamoureux Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 4:02 PM
What a great reaction, thanks Kim.
La France Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 8:57 AM
Richard, oh my, this is beyond magnificent, such depth and emotion in each well chosen word, it made me weep, and that black bird, yes they are intelligent, your descriptions are magical, well for me this over the top 7+++++++ I love it!!!! and thanks for visiting my poem, its summer . . . I am working on something today, I hope you will like
Lamoureux Avatar
May 27, 2015 at 4:04 PM
Thanks, I am moved by your response! Hugs Rick.
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