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

Poem

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A   Avatar
May 1, 2016 at 7:15 PM
Brian, Congratulations on your win in Andrea's fave contest. XOX - LINDA
Mcclain Avatar
May 9, 2016 at 2:21 PM
Hi Linda, Thank you very much! Cheers, Brian
Kendrick Avatar
April 29, 2016 at 3:52 PM
Enjoyed reading your winning work..Congrats..Sara
Mcclain Avatar
April 29, 2016 at 6:35 PM
Hi Sara, Thank you very much--glad you didn't find it too depressing ;-) Cheers, Brian
Cheema Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 9:40 AM
The feeling of helplessness is so vivid and explicit, Brian! Congrats on being Andrea's fave!
Mcclain Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 11:09 AM
Hi Balveen, Thank you very much. I appreciate the kind words. Cheers, Brian
Marcum Wong Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 2:27 AM
This is brilliant! I love it Brian! Congrats on #1. You are the kind of poet I come here to read! Cheers, Connie
Mcclain Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 11:08 AM
Hi Connie, Thanks so much for the generous comment and am so glad you liked the poem. Cheers, Brian
Johnson Avatar
April 27, 2016 at 5:06 PM
A great win and poem, Brian. Love, joyce
Mcclain Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 11:08 AM
Hi Joyce, That is very kind of you to say so. Thank you! Cheers, Brian
May Avatar
April 27, 2016 at 1:47 PM
Congrats on your win Brian
Mcclain Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Hi Joseph, Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Cheers, Brian
Allison Avatar
April 27, 2016 at 11:45 AM
Dropping back again Brian i can see why Andrea loved this one:-) :-) many congrats on your win:-) hugs Jan xx
Mcclain Avatar
April 28, 2016 at 11:07 AM
Hi Jan, Thank you very much. That's really nice of you to drop back in! Cheers, Brian
Allison Avatar
March 31, 2016 at 2:00 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
Mcclain Avatar
March 31, 2016 at 6:18 PM
Hi Jan, Thank you very much, that is so kind of you. Cheers, Brian
Breidenthal Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 9:01 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
Mcclain Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 9:40 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
Dietrich Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 3:26 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.
Mcclain Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 8:28 PM
Hi Andrea, Thank you very much for the generous feedback--I greatly appreaciate your going into the archives! Cheers, Brian
Inman Avatar
March 17, 2016 at 6:05 PM
I like reading first posts. This was a very good one, enjoyed the read, Brian.
Mcclain Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 8:22 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
Mcclain Avatar
March 23, 2016 at 8:22 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
Yannella Avatar
March 14, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Great work, Brian. Keep on writing.
Mcclain Avatar
March 14, 2016 at 9:39 PM
Hey Don, Thank you very much--I greatly appreciate the encouraging words. Cheers, Brian
Hull Avatar
March 12, 2016 at 9:43 AM
Hi Brian, great poem, paints a picture of somewhere bleak but retains the ability to laugh at the misfortunes.
Mcclain Avatar
March 13, 2016 at 11:15 AM
Hi John, Thank you very much for the generous feedback! Cheers, Brian
Fiery Avatar
March 9, 2016 at 8:22 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!
Mcclain Avatar
March 9, 2016 at 1:00 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
Masango Avatar
March 8, 2016 at 1:14 PM
Hey Brian,What a wonderful poem. #Perfect
Mcclain Avatar
March 9, 2016 at 12:59 PM
Hi Ntokozo, Thank you very much for checking out my poem and for leaving such an encouraging comment! Much appreciated! Cheers, Brian
Ho Avatar
February 27, 2016 at 4:05 PM
Brian, simply delicious. Keep it up, we at the soup are hungry for more!
Mcclain Avatar
March 3, 2016 at 12:12 AM
Thank you, Elaine! That's very kind of you to say--much appreciated. Cheers, Brian
Viswan Bhatia Avatar
February 21, 2016 at 2:10 AM
brilliant piece :)) A 7
Mcclain Avatar
February 27, 2016 at 7:56 AM
Hi Puvi, That is so nice of you to say..'m really glad you liked my poem. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers, Brian
La France Avatar
February 3, 2016 at 9:56 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 ~
La France Avatar
February 4, 2016 at 1:11 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 ~~~~
Mcclain Avatar
February 3, 2016 at 11:25 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.
A   Avatar
January 25, 2016 at 9:19 PM
I've been lost in this cloud before, Brian. I got to admit, this is an awesome poem. Epic imagery... LINDA
Mcclain Avatar
January 27, 2016 at 10:21 PM
Hi Linda, Thank you very much for those kind and inspiring sentiments. Much appreciated! Cheers, Brian
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