Monday, October 5, 2009

back alley

TFE challenged us to "get on da poetry bus" for Monday and write
a poem from one or more of his ten inspiring photos. So, without
further ado, I chose this evocative picture, and my poem follows.
For more participants, pop on over to TFE's blog [HERE].


Back Alley


Running late,
I dropped my life
at the dry cleaners.

Down the alley,
I slipped the cold nickles
from my eyes,
and tossed them

in the busker’s plate
on the pavement,
under the graffiti art,
and classifieds.

The hot dog vendor,
looked a lot
like Jesus,
and his pushcart,

filled with the sacraments
of fries and pickles,
was not what
I expected.


Willow, 2009

60 comments:

  1. Love that, 'I dropped my life at the dry cleaners'! Fun poem.

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  2. Really like this--as with Alaine, the dry cleaners line really stands out, but it's engaging from start to finish!

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  3. Oh how I wish I had the gift of poetry. You have an abundant gift. And you use it so well.

    Love the OR flowers!

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  4. Ohh this picture brings back memories - we called this 'the entry'or 'the jigger' as in 'where's our Mary - she's hup the jigger with Jimmy'

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  5. Oooh...this is funny and creepy at the same time. Hopefully when you really go down that tunnel toward the light, it's more pleasant. ;)
    Maybe the vendor will have chili dogs...or those big soft pretzels! tee-hee!

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  6. Dearest Willow- LOVE this poem it is perfect ! Every line is my favorite and I am printing it out for my inspiration board. You rock- most awesome! Thank you!

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  7. I knew that you had a dark side! Obi wan will be so disappointed! :)

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  8. This is sort of trippy and enigmatic like early Bob Dylan.
    Loved it.

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  9. Great poem. It reminds me of one of my favorite poems, "Because I could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson. I especially liked the coins coming off the eyes.

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  10. I agree with John captured my attention right at the beginning and held it through out. loved it!

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  11. Wow! I really like this one -- a fine flow of words and action. I also find it Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen-esque. (High praise, BTW.)

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  12. I love this poem. As the others have said, you have marvelous, creative gifts.

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  13. very nice poetry.... and I love the sense of mystery your banner portrays...

    cielo

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  14. i'm not sure what you were late for...but the journey was interesting.

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  15. Willow,
    Cool; well done. BRAVO!
    rel

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  16. Great marriage of image and poetry!

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  17. 'Running late,
    I dropped my life
    at the dry cleaners.'

    How do you do it? It was one of the best opening lines ever. And it slips so easily off your tongue.

    Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  18. a perfect poem to accompany such a compelling image

    fries and pickles have a whole new meaning now....

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  19. Mother said, "Even a hot dog vendor might be Jesus so let him come in."

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  20. Fun poem .. did you take the photo? Reminds me of the alleys in Chicago

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  21. Great photo, huh? No, Daryl, it's not mine, it's one by TFE.

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  22. Hi willow, having made it to your back seat where the cool girls hang out you appear to be safely on the bus!

    Like the poem very much, and as has been previously mentioned, the opening lines are stunning. I like "sacraments/of fries and pickles" too. Dark notes.

    Tell TFE (he does a Monday poetry bus piece on the postng day) that you've posted and then you're on the passenger list (at a time of his choosing, obviously).

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  23. oh wow. love the allusions in this one...cold nickles from our eyes...drop[ping the life at the dry cleaners...really love this one willow!

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  24. Okay, thanks, Titus, I thought if I let him know ahead of time, he would add me to the list. I guessed wrong. Heh-heh.

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  25. Cool pic, and really cool poem Willow.
    "The hot dog vendor,
    looked a lot
    like Jesus,
    and his pushcart,"
    I love that Willow!
    Thanks for sharing.

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  26. This is great poetry Willow!

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  27. Really like this ,from beginning to end, wonderful!Tanx ye!

    "The hot dog vendor,
    looked a lot
    like Jesus," cool! And then the quirky ending, deadly!

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  28. Hey Willow! Great minds indeed....
    I particularly like your take on this version of the afterlife. Like the graffiti, it expresses a nourishment of our human nature.

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  29. Loved this poem! It has a really nice urban pound to it, could smell, taste and hear everything, I could of course see it in the most vivid colours too.. gorgeous!

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  30. I like it, I like it!( runs out th' alley to go check out TFE's bloggo )!

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  31. so you write wonderful poetry as well-should have known from all your wonderful pictures and writing.

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  32. On another note: Willow - I just adore your new profile picture!

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  33. The Monday poem you have written IS very Leonard Cohen-esque, I agree and every bit as brilliant! You only need a singer and a melody.
    I hope you are considering writing a poem to read at the ball, Willow.

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  34. So many places to be in this poem..clever and exciting..

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  35. Willow,
    have you heard,
    they are shutting down Gourmet Magazine!
    I am shocked. :-(

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  36. Love it willow - I like the way it is fast-moving and the words are sparse - I am always far too wordy. Love the October you too!

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  37. Merisi, oh, please no!!! Say it isn't so! I LOVE Gourmet magazine. This can't be. I'm in shock. :(

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  38. interesting writing inspired by a photo. love the last line...nothing is as expected

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  39. "I slipped the cold nickels from my eyes" is a standout for me, but it's all good!

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  40. Beautiful, Willow! I love this. :)

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  41. Like it, especially the

    "pushcart,

    filled with the sacraments
    of fries and pickles"

    Funny how there's something about this picture that nudges us in a spiritual direction - something about the symbolism of a dark tunnel with light at the end of it?

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  42. Niiiice! A touch of the '60s there - almost psychodelic in places.

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  43. Great poem! Love the bit about the hot dog vendor.

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  44. I like this as well Willow. Every stanza brings something unexpected.

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  45. This reminds me of the song, "A Poem on the Underground Wall" by Simon and Garfunkel

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  46. This has many great lines, but I love tossing the nickels from your eyes. Engaging!

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  47. Thanks, all for your kind words. Like I said before, it's always so much fun to share my poetry with all of you! You're the best. :^)

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  48. Hello Willow,

    This seems (to me) different to your previous poems, with more edge and surreal. I like the nickel line too.

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  49. my favourite was jesus the hot dog vendor. not what i expected!

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  50. You poem is witty and full of food for thought. So many lines worth exploring :)

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  51. Oh Willow...your poem was GREAT! Loved the way each line made me hungry for more! Really do love the line about dropping your life off at the dry cleaners! As always, so enjoyable dropping by the Manor...

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  52. Again, exceptional. What more can I say?

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  53. You have a wonderful gift for words and description. Iype of scenes and subject matter in your photograph here and the poem just tops it off to a sparkle of inspiration.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)