Pittsburgh Diaries - pipTalk Forums

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

Henri Bardo
Junior Member

since 2002-10-15

Posts 11
State of suspended inanimate

0 posted 2003-02-07 05:13 PM

The Cliff Dwellers

Croations, Lithuanians, Serbs,
Rumanians, Latvians, Yugoslavs;
All polacks or millhunks to the
Irish fresh from their bruises

Three generous rivers, their
verdant banks, claimed by the
industrialists for fouling

All fecund vales long before
staked out by German farmers

Cufflinks for the protestant work
ethic, lunchpails for the catholics

What steep hills, mountains weren't
culled for the calloused mole's picks
were sanctioned to be clung to

Cloistered in the corner tavern
shared per block with churches
where Babushkas knelt and pled

Saloon services started at 7 am,
pierogis the body,
nickel beer the blood

No scrutiny will join
from heaven to
where noon is black
as midnight

The Word unheard
in the din of the mill,
no blessings reach to
the mine's path toward hell

Sweat's a magnet for
the legal tender of soil

Elephantiasis of fatigue
balanced on barstools,
brain in a fishbowl of beer

Dirty mitts never too swollen
to peel up every nickel of change

Boots know the way
up the hill
home

[This message has been edited by Henri Bardo (02-07-2003 05:17 PM).]

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

1 posted 2003-02-07 05:27 PM

Three generous rivers, their
verdant banks, claimed by the
industrialists for fouling
**************************
And the fouling has come at the hands of us all. Not a pretty sight.
As the melting pot overflows with the confluence of so much (in)humanity, we continue to wallow in our own effluents.

Cpat Hair

Member Patricius

since 2001-06-05

Posts 11793

2 posted 2003-02-07 05:59 PM

well done... enjoyed the tight terse way it reads as well as the imagery used throughout... since the title said diaries... I will be looking for more.

Severn
Member Rara Avis

since 1999-07-17

Posts 7704

3 posted 2003-02-07 06:23 PM

OMG...I love this...and I don't say that often...

More more more..post more...so, what's your story - been writing for how long? Long enough to develop a fine technique that's for sure...

K

regards2you
Member Elite

since 2002-10-01

Posts 3940
California

4 posted 2003-02-07 07:28 PM

~Welsome to Passions~

So vry well crafted. Enjoyed a great deal and look forward to reading more of your work.

Pat

..without surrender, be on good terms with all persons..
"Desiderata"

gypsy girl
Junior Member

since 2003-01-09

Posts 12
Pennsylvania, USA

5 posted 2003-02-07 09:47 PM

I love this...captures the flavor of the city in fantastic language...Am I right in assuming you're from Pittsburgh? Me too...a landscape conducive to the arts. Looking forward to reading more of your work.

Sandpiper
Senior Member

since 2002-06-15

Posts 738
land of flora and fauna

6 posted 2003-02-08 05:49 AM

Excellent--your words become the picture--enjoyed!! Welcome!

"And it was at that age...Poetry arrived in search of me...And something started in my soul."
Pablo Neruda

Nan

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-20

Posts 21191
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA

7 posted 2003-02-08 08:18 AM

I'm inclined so say this is a lovely place - Only visited once, but was duly impressed from my dad's office atop the Steel building... Looks like you've captured the lot...

Mysteria

Member Laureate

since 2001-03-07

Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada

8 posted 2003-02-08 03:54 PM

The recounting of this part of history and of this city is extremely well done and I hope you will enlighten us on other walks through one of America's oldest towns. The fact that they could even get into that little box that rode on tracks to get up that hill is so amazing to me (no way would I do that). Enjoyed this travelogue very much.

~ The soul lies buried in ink that does not flow ~

[This message has been edited by Mysteria (02-09-2003 03:24 AM).]

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

9 posted 2003-02-09 03:06 AM

well, you have me wanting more! Welcome to Passions!

bbent
Senior Member

since 2001-01-07

Posts 521
Alaska

10 posted 2003-02-09 05:17 AM

I was born in and lived in Pittsburgh till I was 14,My dad worked for the railroad not at the mill,he enjoyed a beer or two at Malones bar and we lived not to far from the slag dump.Moved in 64 so this might be a little befor my time but it triggered many a memory.

Live like it's your last day...
Dance like nobody's watching...
Love like you've never been hurt...

[This message has been edited by bbent (02-09-2003 05:19 AM).]

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.