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Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

0 posted 2001-03-23 03:17 AM

Forgotten Poet

A dingy single room is his home. Walls are
in need of paint and repair. Phone numbers
are scribbled in places. The poreclain sink
is ringed with rust stains. Roaches! The nasty little creatures, crawling on the dishes he'd left in the sink from a few days before.

The only window has a fan in it and looks
out on a clothes line hung with shirts,
towels, socks and wash rags.

His bed is a couch with sagging cushions,
some with holes from dropped cigarettes.
At this late hour he sits at a makeshift
table and tries to write, to concentrate.

The woman in the next room has got yet
another visitor. Why does love, lust,
passion, or whatever it is, have to make
so much noise?

Loudly slapping the wall he yells,
"Keep it down!" Her response is to bang on
her side of the wall even louder. He shouts
and obscenity. The noise continues as if nothing ever happened.

He gets up, takes his dangling right arm,
pulls it close and stuffs the hand into his
pocket. That helps to keep it from flopping
around and getting in the way. The stroke. He remembers a little of it. Just a little.

Taking a bottle, he pours himself
a drink. Strong and sour, he gulps it down
and pours another.

Back at the table he once again sits to
write. Staring at the blank piece of paper,
he finds himself getting angry that the
words won't come. His words. He's a writer,
so where are the words?

He takes his left arm and sweeps the table
clean, everything hitting the floor, the lamp blinking twice, then the bulb burning out.
Rising, he kicks the table into the
mess and finds a place on the couch to rest. Swallowing the last of his drink, he closes his eyes.

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

1 posted 2001-03-23 10:05 AM

Auguste....a good, sad read....well done Sir....

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

2 posted 2001-03-23 10:58 AM

Michael--A story that is probably happening someplace...very realisticly done..and very sad. Good job with this one, Michael.

Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

3 posted 2001-03-23 04:32 PM

Sunshine and Martie,

Thank you both for reading. I'm sure there are poets such as this. I'm just happy not to be one of them. :-) Take care, sweet ladies.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Tennessee Angel
Senior Member

since 2000-06-03

Posts 661
Tennessee

4 posted 2001-03-23 10:54 PM

Wow..I found myself trapped in that dirty room, looking around my feet to avoid the roaches, and jumping in fear as he swept the table clean...It was realistic enough that I found myself racing to the end so I could escape those four walls.

Powerful stuff.

Dee
Member Elite

since 2000-08-19

Posts 2330
Queensland, Australia

5 posted 2001-03-24 01:19 AM

Michael, your words create visions, strong ones. Well written.

Dee

I wish you every happiness and may you always have the best of the good things in life. a brand

Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

6 posted 2001-03-24 01:38 AM

Tennessee Angel,
Thanks for the "powerful stuff." I'm happy you liked it. I hope you didn't step on any of those roaches. :-)

Dee,
I appreciate you reading this. I've been experimenting lately with short stories. Thank you.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

Ethan Halo
Senior Member

since 2000-04-28

Posts 793
on the roof again

7 posted 2001-03-24 02:07 AM

i've lived parts of this... amazing words and a vivid picture.
simply vivid, my friend. quite a piece of literature.

You gotta love livin, cause dyin's a pain in the ass.
- Frank Sinatra

"It don't mean a thing
if it ain't got that swing."

Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

8 posted 2001-03-24 02:15 AM

Ethan,

Thank you for coming by and reading this, sir. I sincerely appreciate your good comments. Thank you.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

DYME
Member

since 2000-07-29

Posts 104
Texas

9 posted 2001-03-24 02:06 PM

VERY STRONG WORDS. A LITTLE SAD, BUT VERY WELL WRITTEN. I LIKED IT.

NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER... ISAIAH 54:17

Auguste

Member Elite

since 2000-02-16

Posts 3953
By the sea

10 posted 2001-03-24 02:21 PM

DYME,

Thank you for reading this. It pleases me that you like it.

Michael

Proust-
"Love is space and time measured by the heart"

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

11 posted 2004-05-05 03:19 AM

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