Sandra Haight Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

 

 

The Carcass

The shell remains
picked clean by hungry vultures
ravenous with greed.
Gouged-out eyes
now bare hollow sockets
vacant in their stare.
Morsels of choice parts 
deftly stripped or torn away—
and gutted vitals, furtively devoured,
have filled the wanton needs 
of scavengers who shared the feast. 
The carcass rests 
flat on bony frame
supported once by plump, round legs 
on which it mightily ran.
There it lies—
a brittle, empty shell—
the poor abandoned Chevy 
on the Harlem River Drive.


Sandra M. Haight


~1st Place~
Premiere Contest: Bring To Life
Sponsor: Shadow Hamilton
Judged: 04/14/2018

~3rd Place~ 
Contest: East Jesus 
Sponsor: Roy Jerden 
Judged: 01/02/2015
 
Note: Inspired by my many trips years ago in the late 70s, to visit my father in a hospital there.  I would see so many abandoned cars lined up as 'empty shell carcasses' along the Harlem River Drive in New York City.

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Gregory Richard Barden April 16, 2018 at 12:25 AM Wonderful write with such a creative and intelligent line ... loved this, Sandra! Congrats on your win!! :-) <3 Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:17 PM Thank you, Gregory. Those automobile carcasses really stirred my imagination! I appreciate your visit, congrats, and supportive comments very much. Sandra :)

Janice Canerdy April 15, 2018 at 7:46 PM Wow! You REALLY surprised me with that ending. No Wonder you placed FIRST, Sandra. Janice Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:13 PM Thanks, Janice. Glad you enjoyed the ending, and I appreciate your supportive comments! Hugs, Sandra

Line Gauthier April 15, 2018 at 12:22 PM Congrats on your gold medal finish. Bravo. Beautiful twist at the end, Sandra. I thought you had been inspired by an episode of National Geographic. LOL Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:12 PM Thank you so much, Line! Those auto carcasses really got my muse going! Hugs, Sandra

Susan Gentry April 15, 2018 at 12:06 PM Congratulations on your win with this gruesome but clever story. Did not see that coming! Excellent!

Elaine George April 15, 2018 at 9:37 AM Wow! Very potent imagery, Sandra. Many congrats on your well-deserved first place win. Elaine Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:11 PM Thank you, Elaine. Glad you enjoyed it, and I appreciate your supportive comments and congrats! Hugs, Sandra

Winged Warrior April 15, 2018 at 4:19 AM Congrats!!! on first place Sandra...great writing my friend...take care and stay in the light...^WW^ Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:11 PM Thank you very much, ^WW^. Much appreciated. Sandra

Subimal Sinha-Roy April 14, 2018 at 9:33 PM Congratulations, Sandra on your first position win. Great flowing poem. Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:08 PM Thank you so much, Subimal! Hugs, Sandra

Eve Roper April 14, 2018 at 9:07 PM Congratulations Sandra, well deserved win! Hugs Eve Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:07 PM Thank you very much, Eve! Hugs, Sandra

CayCay Godwin April 14, 2018 at 7:48 PM How clever and so very well written, loved the unexpected ending! Congratulations on this superb writing taking top slot, you deserve that and more. All the best ... CayCay Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:07 PM Thank you, CayCay, for your very supportive comments and congrats! Hugs, Sandra

Tom Cunningham April 14, 2018 at 5:43 PM Congratulations Sandra, well deserved win. Tom Sandra Haight April 16, 2018 at 4:06 PM Thank you very much, Tom! Much appreciated. Sandra

Shadow Hamilton April 14, 2018 at 4:58 PM Superb poem Sandra deliciously gruesome and captured the theme perfectly. congrts on 1st place hugs Sandra Haight April 15, 2018 at 8:46 PM Thank you for a great contest, Shadow. I am very honored with my placement! Hugs, Sandra

Dr. Upma A. Sharma January 3, 2015 at 8:53 PM Really wonderful Sandra! Congrats on ur great win! Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:38 AM Thank you so much, Dr. Upma! I appreciate your visit and nice coment and congrats. Sandra

Debbie Guzzi January 3, 2015 at 7:53 PM I really enjoyed this! Congrad's on your win. Light & Love Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:39 AM Thank you so much, Debbie. Thank you for stopping by with your positive comment and congratulations. I really appreciate it. Hugs, Sandra

John Lawless January 3, 2015 at 10:56 AM Hey, Sandra, was there a '63 VW Bug, beige, out there. God I think of that car and its many and varied lives. Great take on the contest, well done. Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:40 AM Hi John...could have been! In those days, I saw so many. Thanks for your visit with your nice comment. Sandra

Dr.Ram Mehta January 3, 2015 at 5:54 AM Congrats on the fine win and nice take on the theme, Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:41 AM Thank you so much, Dr. Ram. I appreciate your support. Sandra

Poet Destroyer A January 2, 2015 at 11:51 PM Sandra, Interesting topic, poem and win. CONGRATULATIONS!!! Goodnight ~LINDA~ Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:42 AM Hi Linda, it is always so nice to read your comments. Thank you so much for stopping by with your congratulations. Hugs, Sandra

Earl Schumacker January 2, 2015 at 3:56 PM Hi Sandra, Excellent write. Excellent win. Good for you. Keep up the good work. Take care. Earl Sandra Haight January 4, 2015 at 10:43 AM Thank you so much, Earl. It's always nice to read your positive comments! Sandra

Rajat Kanti Chakrabarty January 2, 2015 at 12:17 PM Congrats on win Sandra.Love> rajat Sandra Haight January 2, 2015 at 3:41 PM Thank you so much, Rajat. I appreciate your congratulations and support. Best wishes in the new year. Sandra

Paul Callus January 2, 2015 at 10:53 AM Absolutely brilliant....clever ending, too. #7 Congratulations on this lovely win, Sandra! // paul Sandra Haight January 2, 2015 at 3:42 PM Thank you, Paul. You are so supportive, and I really appreciate that. Sandra

Kayod5 Kayode January 2, 2015 at 10:51 AM A good analogy that delivered,congrats on the win Sandra...huggs Sandra Haight January 2, 2015 at 3:43 PM Thank you, Kayod5. I appreciate your nice comments. Sandra

Jan Allison January 2, 2015 at 10:20 AM Such vivid description - love the twist at the end of the poem Sandra - many congrats:-) Hugs Jan xx Sandra Haight January 2, 2015 at 3:44 PM Thank you so much, Jan. Hugs, Sandra

Maurice Yvonne January 2, 2015 at 10:15 AM Congratulations on your win Sandra.

Maurice Yvonne January 2, 2015 at 10:10 AM Excellent Sandra, a fav for me! Sandra Haight January 2, 2015 at 3:45 PM Thank yo so much, Maurice, for your positive comment and support. Best to you in the new year. Sandra

Brenda Meier-Hans December 12, 2014 at 10:37 PM Wow Sandra. This is brilliant writing. I hope you do really well. I would instantly give you a one in the contest. That equals a seven and a fav. here. Sandra Haight December 14, 2014 at 12:25 PM Thanks so much, Brenda. I really appreciate your kind words and support. Hugs, Sandra

Andrea Dietrich December 12, 2014 at 4:38 PM great description and until the end, people will not know it is about cars unless they read it here and see that picture you showed. so it's a poem with a great twist! Sandra Haight December 12, 2014 at 8:15 PM Hi Andrea, thanks for stopping by with your positive comment. Do you think I should remove the picture and paragraph in notes? Sandra

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