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Open Poetry #22
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From Coast to Coast and Life to Life
| Open Poetry #22 |
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From Coast to Coast and Life to Life |
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Professor Gloom Member Elite
since 2000-07-23
Posts 3082of Depression |
Far off Washington Of Rulers and Rising Sun, Where makers of laws Give no thoughts and take no pause To Oregon girls Who wears their lost father’s curls And hand-me-down clothes That through thin fabric wind blows, Complain not of chill But tummies that didn’t fill From what all they eat; Hungry mother walks the street, Dies with each new day She has to live life this way. Deciding one day She must take the girls away, From her loss of pride And on a greyhound did ride Three days in crossing Non stop without a pausing Crackers and water For each of her young daughters To ease the hunger As she grew ever weaker. Midnight on the street No one knew to come to greet, Asked a policeman To find the right direction, The distance was far Gave them a ride in his car Just a little lift A kind of welcoming gift, She knew it pity To them arriving dirty And unannounced there, Tattered cloths and uncombed hair. Silver comb and brush Has been sold for price of bus, Last of her own things So she arrived with nothing. Standing at his door Where she had stood twice before, A different place, But greeted with the same face, Ever familiar Always he was friend to her Welcomed to his home Still lived as ever alone. Gave them soup and bread And sat them at his table Where cooled a pie of apple Offered them a slice Filled their glasses of milk twice, And when they were fed Showed the girls to clean soft beds. The sat two alone Inside this place his home She was listening As he was reminiscing Of the times before She had shown up at his door. First was in Japan, Place of birth and her homeland, Becoming orphaned, No relation all were gone, Barely in her teens Without any support means, Went out door to door Just to be another whore, She was filled with fears Eyes overflowing with tears, Answering the door, But he looked and saw much more Than just a lost child And talked in a voice so mild, When she had come in She saw he was with a friend, They talked casually Over noodles and green tea, With conversation, And without indignation, After a long while Even gave her face a smile. She stayed all the night They made what was wrong seem right, And with the next day, Left Japan and went away, But not left alone Found a place to call her home, Arrangement were made And there she happily stayed, A young girl so sweet, Saved from a life on the street. Letters were exchanged And a passage was arranged, She came as woman To their home a foreign land. The second time met The younger one came to get, The older stayed home Where he did live life alone, And opened the door To a new life and much more. Time chooses the ways And the older man didn’t stay, New life had begun A happy marriage was done To wash all her fears Lasting for thirteen glad years. Accidents happen, Soon all was gone that had been, She lost her gladness And fell into a sadness The grew more each day Her life slowly slipped away She was all alone When evicted from her home, Her life was so lost Everything had been the cost, And she came to him Her only remaining friend. The morning was nigh The night had rushed quickly by Till finally he said Let me show you to your bed. When she woke to light She heard the girl’s laughter bright And rushed from the room They were watching a cartoon On color T.V. She smiled to see them happy. She went to thank him Found he was in the kitchen. Nothing would be said He hushed off her thanks instead, So then she just cried Letting out what was inside Cried on his shoulder So he had to at least hold her And he told her, Welcome home. Gloom If you have read this far, I wish to thank you for bearing with me on this rather Long and tenuous poem. Originally begun as a Solo Renga, continued on passing the standard 100 lines. Although there are so many forms of the Renga, this still might be one. Anyway it would be a very long Choka. |
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| © Copyright 2002 Aszard Drazlom - All Rights Reserved | |||
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the_loner_23 Member Ascendant
since 2002-06-08
Posts 5479Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
This is an awesome poem. Cold hands means a warm heart |
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Professor Gloom Member Elite
since 2000-07-23
Posts 3082of Depression |
Thank you, the_loner_23, I am glad you enjoyed this. Gloom |
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Toerag Member Ascendant
since 1999-07-29
Posts 5622Ala bam a |
Good write...alot of work had to go into this.... |
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Professor Gloom Member Elite
since 2000-07-23
Posts 3082of Depression |
Thank you, Mr. Toerag, Pleased you liked it, Actually took a few hours while doing some other things at the same time, which is why it’s slightly disjointed. Gloom |
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1slick_lady Member Ascendant
since 2000-12-22
Posts 6088standing on a shadow's lace |
professor...you are awesome !!! helen |
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garysgirl  
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Goodness, Professor...this is really good!! In fact, I'm at a loss of words (kind of). It made me feel many emotions....sadness, happiness, then sadness, then happiness. Thanks for sharing your story with us. With Love and Best Wishes, Ethel...garysgirl [This message has been edited by garysgirl (10-07-2002 11:54 AM).] |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
This made me choka, with a sincere tear. The care you took to present this is obvious. I would continue to read it if it went 1000+ lines. |
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Professor Gloom Member Elite
since 2000-07-23
Posts 3082of Depression |
Thank you, 1slick_lady, Pleased you enjoyed. Thank you, garysgirl, Your praise is kind, and I and glad you liked this rambling. Thank you, Midnightsun, I actually had to stop at about 160 lines Where a true responsive Renga would have been 350 lines one voice in Haiku and the second in couplets of 7. Gloom |
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Zinsser Senior Member
since 2001-02-27
Posts 1641Calif. |
Oh how I have missed reading your words... Well done ... very much enjoyed the wide range of emotion...... ~~ Connie ~~ |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Well this was simply spectacular, would it be imposing to ask for yet another like this one? I do believe I could have read on and on, and was almost disappointed when it came to and end, but what a wonderful ending. I appreciated your craft in this one indeed. Howdy Neighbour |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Fabulous...enjoyed this very much...James |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
No patience needed to read this piece. I was captivated all the way through. Well done Liz |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Well, professor, you certainly jumped into the sea of blue with a powerful write well worth the read! Welcome back! EA |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I am duly impressed, and rightly so. Professor, you ought to clambor aboard the Choka Express in Poetry Workshop - it's the theme of the month! |
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Professor Gloom Member Elite
since 2000-07-23
Posts 3082of Depression |
Thank you, Zinnser, With length you can add extra emotions I am pleased you found this pleasing Thank you, Mysteria, I just finished another one, rather long, I am glad you liked my efforts Thank you, JamesMichael, Glad you enjoyed Thank you, Elizabeth Santos, You give me fine praise Thank you, Earth Angel, Glad you found my efforts worthy And thanks for the welcome. Thank you, Sunshine, I hadn’t known about the challenge, I have a section of Japanese poetry forms at my web site And write in this form every once in a while. I tend to make them rhyming which is my nature, But not the nature of the Choka. Perhaps I’ll write a special one for the workshop. Gloom |
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