Dopamine

Did the creator(s) of his chemicals
wreck his chemicals ?
Or did he recklessly
wreck them on his own ?
He stormed almost violently
through the evening, half an hour after dark,
scowling and barking at enemies unseen;
he seemed to be peculiarly caught
between reproachful suburban streetlamps,
always half a pace ahead of and behind
the previous and the next.
He marched almost violently
through the midday, cool and bright;
his scowl and bark were armed
with a lead pipe to secure
his next square metre of temporary space,
and even the speeding traffic
could not deny his belligerent passage.
He sat almost violently
in the cold, grey defeat of early morning,
scowl and bark, as always, I think,
and the bricks and cars and shopfront windows
may have quivered or laughed,
I haven't had time to ask them,
not that they'd be bothered with me.
The uniforms were calm, unflappable,
his bark and scowl remained fearless as ever,
but became oddly innocuous,
they knew each other by now.
He may be smart enough and unsound enough
to understand that a dark, familiar cell
is a place to go
when you have no place to go;
or it may be simpler or more complex,
he may be smart enough and unsound enough
to not know the difference at all.
It's Friday, late afternoon,
and I have no idea
where he'll be tonight.

24th August 2018

Copyright © | Year Posted 2018



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Date: 12/5/2018 2:51:00 PM
Wow. What can I say. First of all your title is everything. This man you write of comes alive with his anger and passion, his sorrow and desperation. Your closing lines about the “dark familiar cell” being the “place to go when there is no place to go” is so right on. You understand the plight of this tortured man and evidence his story brilliantly. Best wishes. Deb
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Lawrence Sharp
Date: 12/6/2018 9:18:00 AM
Thanks, Deb, too kind, such high praise is greatly valued.
Date: 9/6/2018 3:48:00 PM
A heartwrenching moment to see anyone in a situation like this..Sometimes one wishes there could be a way to help people like these..before its too late..You described the story in detail..I can picture it all.
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Lawrence Sharp
Date: 9/7/2018 7:55:00 AM
Thanks for reading, I'm pleased that you valued it.
Date: 8/31/2018 6:09:00 AM
You write like a master film director sets a scene with particular detail submerging your enthralled audience in another world, someone else's world. If that makes any sense, I'm pre coffee. Fantastic writing Lawrence. xomo
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Lawrence Sharp
Date: 9/2/2018 5:15:00 AM
Your pre-coffee words fit together just fine, and the pre-coffee praise is most welcome. Thanks Maureen, very kind.
Date: 8/25/2018 8:39:00 AM
Even when people do not know where he is they find him. Your words are disturbingly intriguing.
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Lawrence Sharp
Date: 8/26/2018 12:47:00 AM
Thanks Richard, appreciated. It is always quite unsettling to see him and so many others like him.
Date: 8/24/2018 3:10:00 PM
WOW! You portrayed him brilliantly..the ending sums up his tragic life. So many great lines like:always half a pace ahead of and behind the previous and the next...and..and the bricks and cars and shopfront windows may have quivered or laughed, I haven't had time to ask them..Excellent depiction, Lawrence. Hope he gets help soon.
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Lawrence Sharp
Date: 8/26/2018 12:45:00 AM
Thanks Vijay, such specific feedback is very helpful and encouraging.
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