Threadbare Clouds

Gray smeared sky like a quilt of rags
Winos sip rot gut from brown paper bags
Threadbare cloud crotch splits up the side
Rain pours down, you got nowhere to hide

Cheap umbrella from a street corner pimp
Turns inside out before going limp
Putrid puddles, soggy doggy doo dollops
Are artfully dodged by high-heeled trollops

A rat scurries by with a piece of bread
Like the ant that totes a leaf on its head
You too once held big dreams in your grasp
But they got drowned with a gurgling gasp

You told me before, no you don't stutter
Your genius ideas got washed down the gutter
Now like a scavenger after a flood
You salvage what's left from out of the mud

Ashes to crashes, lust to rust
In the end it only goes bust
Caught in between the future and past
You start out just fine but finish dead last


____________________________

by Brian McClain - Jan 23, 2016

Copyright © | Year Posted 2016



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Date: 5/1/2016 7:15:00 PM
Brian, Congratulations on your win in Andrea's fave contest. XOX - LINDA
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 5/9/2016 2:21:00 PM
Hi Linda, Thank you very much! Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/29/2016 3:52:00 PM
Enjoyed reading your winning work..Congrats..Sara
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/29/2016 6:35:00 PM
Hi Sara, Thank you very much--glad you didn't find it too depressing ;-) Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/28/2016 9:40:00 AM
The feeling of helplessness is so vivid and explicit, Brian! Congrats on being Andrea's fave!
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/28/2016 11:09:00 AM
Hi Balveen, Thank you very much. I appreciate the kind words. Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/28/2016 2:27:00 AM
This is brilliant! I love it Brian! Congrats on #1. You are the kind of poet I come here to read! Cheers, Connie
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/28/2016 11:08:00 AM
Hi Connie, Thanks so much for the generous comment and am so glad you liked the poem. Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/27/2016 5:06:00 PM
A great win and poem, Brian. Love, joyce
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/28/2016 11:08:00 AM
Hi Joyce, That is very kind of you to say so. Thank you! Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/27/2016 1:47:00 PM
Congrats on your win Brian
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/28/2016 11:07:00 AM
Hi Joseph, Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Cheers, Brian
Date: 4/27/2016 11:45:00 AM
Dropping back again Brian i can see why Andrea loved this one:-) :-) many congrats on your win:-) hugs Jan xx
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 4/28/2016 11:07:00 AM
Hi Jan, Thank you very much. That's really nice of you to drop back in! Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/31/2016 2:00:00 PM
you have such a uniqur way with words Brian - intermingling deep and yet also fun imagery here rhyming dollops and trollops - pure poetic genius my friend lol:-) hugs jan xx
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/31/2016 6:18:00 PM
Hi Jan, Thank you very much, that is so kind of you. Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/23/2016 9:01:00 PM
Wow...powerful and effective language throughout, Brian. That last stanza is strong, rather chilling too. "Now like a scavenger after a flood You salvage what's left from out of the mud" Love that moment in your poem. That first line has a cool simile too. Very unique writing style! Always, Laura
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/23/2016 9:40:00 PM
Hi Laura, Thank you very much for reading my poem and for the insightful comment. I greatly appreciate it. Salvaged from out of the mud was just enough for a handful of poems, that was my thinking. Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/23/2016 3:26:00 PM
I came back to this first post you did and was amazed by how great it was. I love the imagery that creates that helpless feeling of a person who is always seeing grey. Gotta FAVE this one.
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/23/2016 8:28:00 PM
Hi Andrea, Thank you very much for the generous feedback--I greatly appreaciate your going into the archives! Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/17/2016 6:05:00 PM
I like reading first posts. This was a very good one, enjoyed the read, Brian.
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/23/2016 8:22:00 PM
Hi James, Thank you very much for going all the way back to this threadbare poem I greatly appreciate it and am glad you liked it. Cheers, Brian
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/23/2016 8:22:00 PM
Hi James, Thank you very much for going all the way back to this threadbare poem I greatly appreciate it and am glad you liked it. Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/14/2016 9:33:00 PM
Great work, Brian. Keep on writing.
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/14/2016 9:39:00 PM
Hey Don, Thank you very much--I greatly appreciate the encouraging words. Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/12/2016 9:43:00 AM
Hi Brian, great poem, paints a picture of somewhere bleak but retains the ability to laugh at the misfortunes.
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/13/2016 11:15:00 AM
Hi John, Thank you very much for the generous feedback! Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/9/2016 8:22:00 AM
''You too once held big dreams in your grasp But they got drowned with a gurgling gasp...''...you are a very deep thinker and writer ! I always feel inspired when I read my fellow poet's work....adding this to my fav!
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/9/2016 1:00:00 PM
Hi Red, It's always a delight to hear from you. Thank you so much for reading the poem and for the kind words. Greatly appreciated! Cheers, Brian
Date: 3/8/2016 1:14:00 PM
Hey Brian,What a wonderful poem. #Perfect
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/9/2016 12:59:00 PM
Hi Ntokozo, Thank you very much for checking out my poem and for leaving such an encouraging comment! Much appreciated! Cheers, Brian
Date: 2/27/2016 4:05:00 PM
Brian, simply delicious. Keep it up, we at the soup are hungry for more!
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 3/3/2016 12:12:00 AM
Thank you, Elaine! That's very kind of you to say--much appreciated. Cheers, Brian
Date: 2/21/2016 2:10:00 AM
brilliant piece :)) A 7
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 2/27/2016 7:56:00 AM
Hi Puvi, That is so nice of you to say..'m really glad you liked my poem. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers, Brian
Date: 2/3/2016 9:56:00 PM
Brian, there is something about your writing that is so raw and real, I love it so much, write more, oh please write more ~
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Constance La France
Date: 2/4/2016 1:11:00 PM
Brian, try some of the contests, for inspiration... they always inspire me and take me places I might not have gone, give them a whirl ~~~~
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 2/3/2016 11:25:00 PM
Wow, that is very flattering. If that doesn't get me to bang out my next poem, nothing will :-) I confess though that I don't find this poem writing business to be easy at all! -- you and some others are quite prolific and never seem to run low on ideas to express. Dunno how you do it.
Date: 1/25/2016 9:19:00 PM
I've been lost in this cloud before, Brian. I got to admit, this is an awesome poem. Epic imagery... LINDA
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Brian Mcclain
Date: 1/27/2016 10:21:00 PM
Hi Linda, Thank you very much for those kind and inspiring sentiments. Much appreciated! Cheers, Brian
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