Do you remember when phones had a cord to the wall outlet?
Our son was about five years old.
We were in a hotel room and he wanted to call daddy.
He ran over to the phone and picked it up.
As he looked at me with a very puzzled look, he said it has no dial tone.
Yes, no dial tone because we are in a hotel room.
Pristine white
Blank canvas
If walls could talk
Mute lifeless frames
Boxed decor
Where random players take turns
Unfolding their drama
Living their realities
Their joys their tragedies
Occupy their time
Without leaving a trace
There then gone
Back to a blank canvas
For the next set of players
One sequence then another
And another then another
AP: Honorable Mention 2020
Posted on January 25, 2019
Lots of light, a comfy bed,
Quiet when you're sleeping;
Curtains blocking out the world
When morning rays come creeping.
Reading lamps, two cozy chairs,
Some drawers to do unpacking;
A fridge, tv and coffeemaker
(Which some rooms are lacking).
A nice hot shower where the water's
Strong yet gently flowing;
A concierge to help you
Figure out just where you're going.
A great location so that you
Can walk to local places;
A staff whose smiles are welcoming
As breezes' warm embraces.
A hotel room like this will make
Your visit a delight
And if you guess I'm staying at one,*
You'd, of course, be right!
*Hotel Am Steinplatz, Berlin
In a hotel room I lie on my side
watching him scramble to find his tie
The ghats,grey serpents in green thickets
cool and moist, dampens restless midgets
There ,in a hotel ,in the lushness of the tropic's crown
are trees mighty tall with neat flights of stairs hanging down.
stood perched on trees, a cabin each of uneven logs
with wooden planks hand-polished to parqueted floors
A large cypress cot,an inviting bed ,the sensuous Umrao-Jaan
on canvas overhead, glowing in hues from a crystal pan
white porcelain figures, lovers dancing on mantle;love lounges,
windows open to wild flora , a few ripe mangoes hanging in bunches
On the rails ruddy jasmine vines flaunt little white stars
antique bamboo lanterns at the door , happy to be ajar
warm aroma from oils of wild-herb toiletries exude
wanting a trickle on the heated hearts' pursuit
cute candles whispers roses and jasmine in the air
nothing more, the imp of the mind feasts on love in the air.
on the small balcony , the cool breeze of the underwoods caress
In this tree-house,bask in nature...at its best to soothe five senses.
She walks through the lobby of the grand hotel.
Four inch heels clicking across the shiny marble floors.
Pure ice blue eyes look for that hotel room 411.
Extending a perfectly manicured hand, knocks on the door.
A muffled voice on the other side of the door is heard,
the door then opens wide.
The man standing before her smiles in satisfaction invites her in.
They stand toe to toe at the foot of the bed, the covers are drawn down.
He reaches over to the desk, takes the pile of bills hands them to this lady of the evening
standing in his hotel room.
She quickly counts, smiles, sliding the money into her evening bag.
He runs his hands down her back,
He slowly strips her off her clothes, dignity hiding in the pile dropped by her feet.
He reaches for her hand, pulling her into the bed.
Telling her she is just what he needed, his lust glazing over his eyes
His body covering hers, she moans appropriately, arching her body to his.
His is unaware of the time, while she counts every moment in hotel room number 411.
She gathers her evening bag, sliding her feet into her heels.
As she exits the hotel room number 411.
She's always cleaning up someone's mess
Scrubbing the toilet and changing the bed
Working hard to keep her dear family fed
What happened in there she can only guess
Without a thought towels thrown on the floor
Empty boxes and bottles from a big bash
Unmentionable things in the bathroom trash
Sometimes reluctant to even open the door
Perhaps someday she'll be a hotel guest
If so she'll thank the maid every day
To help to make up for minimum pay
And leave the room at its sparkling best
For a long time there I stood;
Yet another entrance to hell.
Though I already understood,
There's this feeling I can't tell.
Scent of sin present in the air
Reminder of what I must do.
Life has not been all that fair,
Still, I wish today is untrue.
The door to hell is inviting;
Smiling, out the devil came.
His touch had been inciting
But I felt nothing but shame.
There I was, in a hotel room;
Sold both my body and soul.
Flower that will never bloom;
Never again to be put whole.
By him I let myself get tainted;
And I will go to hell and back,
To keep my beloved child sated.
There will be no turning back.
*For the "In A Hotel Room" contest
*Written: February 12, 2013
Eons ago, in a hotel room,
I came face to face with doom!
Danger did loom
There in that dark room!
A ghoul seated on a broom
Appeared in the bedroom
And sprinkled some gloom
On my soul, so in need of a bloom!
Ready to be my bridegroom
Our union to be proclaimed in the ballroom
He called out to the groom
To have a festive lunchroom!
When I found strength to be a boom
I called out with my heart's zoom
And my Lord removed my gloom
By dissipating my cursed brume!
Eons ago, in a hotel room
I begot a boon, and a re-gloom
And my soul began to re-groom
For at last, I had found my real room!
in a hotel room
born of the dust
i sat on the bed
i began to rust
from knowledge in the air
from seasonal flair
i learned in this room
i learned how to read
its just like a class
except all it needs
is more than just me
and this glowing screen
In A Hotel Room
In a hotel room, she lies, literally to herself.
Their meetings filled with desire are brief.
How can she put her dignity on a shelf
Lost, between the crumpled sheet.
As a friend I helplessly watch
As her happiness turns to shame
All the joy before is lost
Falling for this hoodlums game.
There is no love in a hotel room
Used for trysts and rendezvous
As she leaves she's filled with gloom
Not the girl that I once knew.
Players play for keeps
no conscience they can sleep.
A half-full bottle of scotch
stands in the middle of a stool,
as the wind blows away the cigar
ashes away from the ashtray
Besides the stool,
a king-size bed carries the weight
of a man holding a cigar on his mouth,
planning who the next victim will be;
a person who is stopping at nothing
to destroy his drug empire
In a Hotel Room
Two night stay can really be nice
Suited to please for the right price
Room welcomes you, one, two or more
You have the key that opens the door
Chocolate covered strawberries await your arrival
Open the drawer there is always a bible
Queen size bed so soft to lay in
Window view a scenic mountain
The amenities are chosen with care
Wake up call, smell of coffee in the air
Whatever happens once you enter these walls
Hotel room doesn't speak, its seen it all
In a hotel room, there’s so much fun
As we jump on the beds and quickly run
Round and round, and up we go
Back and forth, to and fro
Truth or dare in next in play
On the ground is where we’ll stay
Pillow fights are in the schedule
Let’s make this a holiday so it can be annual
Let’s just gossip and talk about boys
And all the other things that a girl enjoys
Why not order room service so we can dine
I heard the food here is simply divine
And finally when it comes for us to sleep
I dream of a memory that I wish to keep
A couple checked into a room
In some small town hotel.
They settled in but were disturbed
By some unpleasant smell.
They checked the bathroom – it was clean.
The closet was, as well;
But clearly there was something off –
Just what, they couldn’t tell.
Before they turned the bedspread back,
To cozy up a spell,
The husband peeked beneath the bed
And let out quite a yell.
His wife crouched down and what she saw
Was something to repel –
There was a corpse, perhaps the room’s
Most recent clientele.
This story’s true and creeps me out –
There is no parallel.
As for the couple, I’m quite sure
They beat a fast farewell.
for Black Eyed Susan's "In a Hotel Room" contest
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