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Open Poetry #23
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Seventeen...Seventeen
| Open Poetry #23 |
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Seventeen...Seventeen |
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jwesley Member Rara Avis
since 2000-04-30
Posts 7563Spring, Texas 
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Seventeen...Seventeen (from Boyhood Tales) Dawn. City lights winking out, last of night holding the fold where building meets concrete, cold sidewalk wet, rained while sleep eluded me, its drumming on my cardboard shelter taunting me, threatening me. Sleepless dreams spent the night, searing memories still caught in my soul of better days…years…ago. I remember seventeen…I do, you know, I haven’t forgotten…everything… seventeen…? seventeen…? when was that? Devil’s eyes hanging in the upper corner of my box, never closing, never. Glowing firey orbs…waiting, but I won’t sleep, I won’t give in to death… I won’t… I see that vile serpent laying dead in the corner, its single, shining stainless fang that numbs my thoughts, empty now, its soothing, poisoned bite no longer needed. Devil’s eyes have changed to the leering sneer of Death grinning back at me, slowly closing the space between itself and me…coming, coming… I REMEMBER SEVENTEEN! I do…, I do… Me and Seventeen…today. w.james beard, jr. © november 2002 ...though this was written in first person, I don't believe the young man it was written about knew he died on his 17th birthday, of an overdose. But his memory still lingers after all these years. Jimmy [This message has been edited by jwesley (11-25-2002 10:08 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2002 Wesley James Beard, Jr. - All Rights Reserved | |||
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MARK V SHELDON Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015In a corporeal internship... |
Jimmy -- this is powerful and moving... not what I expected, at all, but a welcome surprise of provocation and thought. Definitely heavy but a refreshing change to common themes here. I hope his "17" is better now... (By the way: "TWENTY OR LESS..." is simply a style I introduced to PIP last year, suggesting an open-ended style of abstract poetry done in twenty or less words -- no guidelines other than that "less is more" concept.) Anyways, thank you for the write. -MVS "AS ABOVE SO BELOW" |
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garysgirl  
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
James, this is well written, but very sad to me. You do these really well. "Love makes the world go around" |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
JWesley ~ Oh so very touching~ Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours~ *Huglets* ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ |
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Cpat Hair
since 2001-06-05
Posts 11793 |
told with heart... and haunt. I enjoyed |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
jwesley Your palette shows the unbre tones, enjoyed. |
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regards2you Member Elite
since 2002-10-01
Posts 3940California |
In spite of how sad this is I must tell you how much I enjoyed reading it for your talent of bringing him to real life, right before us, is outstanding. Thank you for sharing this with us. Warm regards, Pat  ..without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.. |
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Mistletoe Angel
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
 (tears fall down my cheeks) Oh James, my heart goes out to your loss, sweet friend, it is so heartbreaking to see many young people destroy their bodies with the alcohol and drugs, I am zero-tolerant on them and wish everyone else to give them up and save themselves! (big hugggsssssss) Know your friend will always guide you with his love, sweet friend, God Bless You, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet James, thank you for sharing! May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton "Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..." |
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