Slab City

Raised a thumb, hitched a ride
random raced, inside
a freaky, desert mirage—
—then took it——solo
and slammed smack dab
into Slab City. 

Oasis to lost, wandering souls
outcasts, living off society’s Grid
—crash landed—
into immediate immersion
of oddball oddities and eccentricities. 

Psychedelic dreamscapes 
mixed with Truth tellers—
—Salvation Mountain, God’s love
and John 3:16. 
then, around the corner
East Jesus, where heathens
and aliens commune. 

Find your path, your truth
along Coke bottle walls
Madonna shrines, plastic people 
junk art sculptures—-
—-RV snowbirds and hippies
living side by side. 

Commentary complimentary—
—spun from a grey bearded elder
telling tales of the glory days—
—of protests and picket lines
—of hazy days, flower children 
and far out, rainbow dreams.

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Beata Agustin

Date: 4/20/2025 5:07:00 AM

Congrats! Thanks for sharing this. God bless you.

Laura Leiser
Date: 4/21/2025 7:05:00 PM

Thank you, Beata! :)

Tom Woody

Date: 4/17/2025 6:19:00 AM

I knew this would place high. Well done Laura

Laura Leiser
Date: 4/17/2025 10:32:00 AM

Thank you, Tom! I appreciate your supportive words! :)

Sotto Poet

Date: 4/16/2025 4:41:00 PM

Laura this is an outstanding and excellent illustration of Slab City! I've encountered it all, and you define the peculiarities and eccentricities properly. Congratulations on your win!

Laura Leiser
Date: 4/17/2025 10:33:00 AM

Thanks so much, Sotto! I appreciate your kind comments and am so glad you liked this! :)

Trina Layne

Date: 4/16/2025 1:45:00 PM

Congrats, Laura! I also had no idea this was a real place. You and Terry did a good job of bringing it to life.

Laura Leiser
Date: 4/16/2025 2:34:00 PM

Thanks, Trina! I’m happy you liked it! :)

Brian Sambourne

Date: 3/13/2025 12:22:00 PM

Terrific poem. I did not know about the existence of Slab City. Checked it out on Wikipedia. Fascinating place. You've written a contest winner. Cheers.

Laura Leiser
Date: 3/14/2025 10:46:00 AM

Thank you, Brian, for your kind comments. Slab City is thoroughly unique and worth the visit, if you ever get the chance to go! :)

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 2/26/2025 1:04:00 PM

wow, I think you've got this contest locked up. without ever being there, I could never come up with something this good!

Laura Leiser
Date: 2/26/2025 5:19:00 PM

Thanks for stopping by to comment, Andrea! I’m so glad you thought this was good..it was fun to write it! :)

Daniel Henry Rodgers

Date: 2/25/2025 8:52:00 AM

Dear Laura, Wow, took me on a wild ride through the raw, untamed heart of Slab City! I love the way you captured its chaotic beauty and the collision of different worlds. it is like stepping into a dream of freedom and rebellion. It's a place where every corner holds a story, and you've brought it to life beautifully. Winter Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel

Laura Leiser
Date: 2/25/2025 9:17:00 AM

Thank you, Daniel, for your kind compliments. :) It was fun to get in the mood of the times as I wrote this piece. Visiting Slab City was quite a unique experience for me. Take care!

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 2/25/2025 1:25:00 AM

Never been to USA, but I searched Slab City and found it existed. Quite an interesting city and poem.

Laura Leiser
Date: 2/25/2025 9:19:00 AM

Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Victor! It is quite the unique place, for sure!

Tom Woody

Date: 2/24/2025 6:07:00 AM

Oh my gosh this is so different for you. What kind of mood were you in when you wrote this lol? And I know you don't smoke funny things. This feels straight out of the sixties, very Beatle-esque in a Helter Skelter sort of way. You really create a vivid, hippie like scenario where sex, drugs, rock n roll and pseudo religion exist side by side. I don't fave often but because you went out in a limb here and really stretched yourself I feel I must

Laura Leiser
Date: 2/24/2025 9:51:00 AM

Thanks so much for your endorsement, Tom! Slab City is a real place located near the Salton Sea. I visited there a few years back. So what I was describing really IS the place, lol! It’s very alternative and completely out of the 60’s! Glad I was able to translate the vibe, as that’s what I intended to do! Thanks for the fave!!

Tom Woody
Date: 2/24/2025 6:09:00 AM

PS. I would love to see this get POTD