Best Lifecity Poems
The gloomy storm brightens drab city streets,
leaving mirror puddles on cold black tar
cleansing red blood from curbs of violence,
fetid odors of stale fomented beer.
The sweat of the city evaporates,
invading nostrils like a down hill sewer
inhaling, a gutter gully gusher.
Steam bellows forth in systematic bursts,
aborting unwanted vapor pressure
in subterranean tunnel caverns
from pitted, porous, perforated pipes.
The city bathes itself in acid rain
scoring concrete, etching brick, eating flesh.
This cities' long needed bath is last seen
floating away, skimming old power lines
toward the next open manhole in its path.
come 2016
or 2015
or 2017
whenever china’s economy exceeds that of the united states
(the year disputed circa. 2016)
and there is no longer any dispute over
who will be calling the shots in the world
from there on out
one has to wonder---
having spent any time in america---
or more importantly/specifically
new orleans &
detroit city &
dallas &
pittsburg &
nyc &
kansas city &
atlanta &
chicago &
la---
will there be chinese james brown?
a new “hardest working man in show business”
whose tunes fill the ears of those new most important cities---
be it
hong kong off the mainland, or
shanghai, beijing, cheng du, hang zhou, qingdao,
xi’an,
taipei, dali, ningbo or
quangzhou---
will there be a new man who bearing the purest chinese soul,
pumping it out in
mandarin or cantonese?
will he be pop-locking as the most perfect popper
dancing the night away
please audience from one side of the globe to another
broadcasted in better-than-broadband (whatever comes next)---
from iphone to ipads to the next
most virtual replacement---
no doubt we will all be dancing with him
singing the new anthems of our age---
“?????!”
Her blinding lights flash against metal plates
She flows through my traffic n her 4 door Chevrolet
Trying to find, that street that'll take her my way
In my city of sin an flashing lights an other cars
Streets filled with hookers, drugs, an many bars
To fill her desire she needs the direction
So she calls on my cell that starts the infection
Ill spread though the wire an into her ears
You turn a few corners then you will be here
But why are you lost, there aren't many roads
Jus listen to me and the directions i've told
U scratch at your skin and u sweat at your neck
An swerving though cars so you won't have a wreck
While u fiend on my street an pass though my city
The feel down your spine, unrecognized pity..
My city is your fix an my roads, my roads are long
But i need you to hurry, here is where you belong
Or maybe i'm wrong, these lights are getting dim
The streets are coming clear
An only becomes right when i feel that you're near
But you steer, away and drive your Own way cause my city is cleaner
The place gets meaner
My drugs gain more fienders
The hoes get sicker
Im drunk on my liquor, slummed against the walls
An looking at my phone not yet had a call
Now every things bad, i'm scared u may desert
Me alone in my city while i hurt
I stare at the gates an i see there's sum light
So i stumble on foot an straighten my sights
Focused to see, if its you
While out in the streets there's destruction, with you
Coming up the road with high beams i smile
But not knowing a man stood behind me, for a while
So you keep on your lights to let me be warned
As he raises his hand with the knife that has torn
I keep on this smile an my heart races for outside i knew the city was sinful
But that didn't matter cause you came, my last vision, was you though the window...
This is the city where
I found,
the fixity of
synthesis.
These are the streets
that pace,
fames the course
of imminence.
This is the city where
I lost,
the tangibility
of surface...
...This is the where
I am to be found,
and found to be
lost.
Form:
Concourse "C"
Part three
Directions printed from Map Quest
meant only for one way
confused three tired travelers
driving to Delaware late one day
Leaving Kennedy
heading towards ninety five
they pass the on-ramp quickly
High,
they never saw the sign.
The wrong direction they head for miles
in this city of high steel and concrete.
Time passed, traffic slowed
weather turned from rain to sleet
Through the city they drive in circles
passing buildings already seen
hitting every red light for miles
given no chance for speed
Over bridges & underground tunnels,
like rats scrambling through a maze
they're lost somewhere in Brooklyn
and have been half the day.
Jared Pickett
1/22/06
Asavvy1