On Dirtied Pavement.

On the edge of metropolitan midnight
he lays in a breathless silence
rasping the evanescing yesterdays to his windows
both open and locked,
while the unknowing below in stale smoke barrooms,
wait to sear his wounds and retell his life
in putrefied requiem.

Abashed metropolis
echoing of muted voices once adorning the streets
in practiced synthetic ritual, 
the vile awash and seeping through asphalt cracks,
the scent of rot, old and new, smattered on old brick edifices 
silences the ascending smoke plumes 
belched from and within dirtied concrete towers,
the final endeavor from within a dying mans spirit
reaching out to no one

City’s voice wails from the antechamber in darkness
anxieties fracturing the panes amongst the downtown fire
of urban panic
lucidity congealing away within him, kept only in the moment
by metronome dripped medicine
exposing him to his damp streets, dirtied culverts, sewer ditches
chemically induced and maintained.
Fighting for his identity within this sterilized chaos,
whispering for the few of open mind somewhere below the window sill,
quicky stepping onward, over his newsprint life,
calling out one last time

There he lays in cold white sterility,
calling silently to his windows,  both opened and locked,
watching his stories catch and fade in the dull humid streetlight
wisped away on steam grate stale winds,
the dying soul, eyes closed, his aged lined face
muddied, scraped, and walked over,
through the grime of progression left on sullied pavement.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2009



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 5/28/2016 11:57:00 AM
The imagery is deep, I love the line, --There he lays in cold white sterility, calling silently to his windows, both opened and locked,--- WOW, both open and locked, thoughts I'm still pondering on... SKAT
Login to Reply
Date: 2/28/2014 11:13:00 AM
Absolutely brilliant. Thanks for making my day. I have found it pleasurable to always begin the weekend with Poetrysoup because poets like you and poems like this do not disappoint. Have a lovely weekend
Login to Reply
Date: 4/9/2009 3:58:00 PM
I really felt this poem, Charles, more than anything I've read today, jmg
Login to Reply
Date: 3/22/2009 1:50:00 PM
Powerful imagery and a very poignant write here, Charles!! Sure hope they find someone to buy this site so we can continue this dance of excellence!!
Login to Reply
Date: 3/3/2009 7:54:00 AM
charles, magnificent poem of reality as it really is. sometimes we don't really want to see it; but it is what it is . thank you for writing this. janetta
Login to Reply
Date: 2/7/2009 6:50:00 PM
deep.... powerful... unforgetable... put it the favs. Enjoyed reading this and have a woderful day.
Login to Reply
Date: 1/21/2009 3:40:00 PM
Nice free verse Charles...Raul
Login to Reply
Date: 1/21/2009 12:47:00 PM
I don't know if I have said this about another of your poems. This is so like the 'Beat' writings. But it also shares a feel of the Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler hard boiled writing. The atmosphere is caught so well in here and the reader feels many emotions. I like the third-person narrative, it works very well and sometime borders on prose. A wonderful use of form that is fantastically imaginative.
Login to Reply
Date: 1/21/2009 5:33:00 AM
Wow, this is chaos. It reminded me of 9/11 and the tragic madness that it must have been. very excellent poetry, excellent! Love, Kristin
Login to Reply
Date: 1/20/2009 5:53:00 PM
You put a picture in my mind...as if I had read a screenplay, or read a novel. Dark, sad, grimy...so earthy and real....excellent writing, Charles!! I feel like I've walked through the seedy side of a city, and need a breath of air! Well done! ~ Carrie
Login to Reply
Date: 1/20/2009 4:16:00 PM
Charlie, do you have a book published yet? If not you know that is in your future.Truly amazing writing here as usual. Love and blessings to you and yours, Carol P.S. Charlie when you have a minute please read my poem Charlie's Little Girl
Login to Reply
Date: 1/20/2009 9:27:00 AM
A realistic painting of an urban nightmare. Reads like a Simon & Garfunkel tale about aloneless in a city of many people. A nameless person among many names. Powerful write you have here, nicely written. Kathleen
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Hide Ad