Notes About The Poem

Corruption is one of the greatest enemies of progress of our time.  It is the cancer at the heart of so many of the world’s problems. David Cameron

 

Familiarity breeds complacency.  Rick Warren

 

 

The Corrupt Gutter

There’s a constant hammering 
Alongside my bedroom window 
Repercussions of a corrupt gutter 

The maddening drain 
Obstinately and persistently has refused
All rehabilitation efforts  

There are no 
drip drip drips
Only 
Pound Pound Pounds
As water clashes with wood and metal 

The clangor must be amplified 
By a loudspeaker 
To make such minute water drops 
Sound like a crazed gongsman
Locked in a metallic chamber with a battle mace

With no distinct pattern 
The piercing pattering 
Thwack Thwack Thwacks
Proclaiming,
“You will find no peace here!”

And yet 
Its constant monotone irritation 
Somehow
Lulls me to sleep
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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Diderot Avatar
October 31, 2025 at 10:19 AM
How could one go past the screaming CAPITALS. I'm enjoying your Narrative Style (of quite a few of yours I've recently been diving into - your style is very unique. I love it.) The repetitive loud corruption in America (and some other places in the world) never ceases, but still many sleep through its cacophony, as if this is all but just a bad dream and in the morning, when we awake, it will all be clear blue skies and none of the horrors, like in a passing nightmare, have happened at all
Sidwell Avatar
November 1, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Thank you for your kind words and keen insight!
Diderot Avatar
October 31, 2025 at 10:24 AM
thwack, thwack, thwack - rat-a-tat-tat....the persistent blast of bullets and bombs.
Rodrigues Avatar
November 8, 2024 at 7:37 AM
Love the metaphor! Greed, power and all matter of sin in the gutter.
Sidwell Avatar
November 11, 2024 at 9:17 AM
Thank you Kim!
Dietrich Avatar
November 6, 2024 at 3:55 PM
The ending is such a nice touch. Definitely the masses are lulled by the brainwashing getting so loud now that they have forgotten truth.
Sidwell Avatar
November 6, 2024 at 6:52 PM
Thank you! I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
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