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Open Poetry #26
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It Was A Hell Of A Thing...
| Open Poetry #26 |
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It Was A Hell Of A Thing... |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows 
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It was desert two-lane blacktop all the way to Boulder City. The night sky was alive in the dark. On the ground thousands of glowing eyes reflected light, Male Jacks on the prowl looking for Jennies, looking to make their mark. The whole drive I saw less than two dozen cars. I knew I couldn't stop to park along the road to wash clean with sand in the sea of stars. I was running hard and heavy until I was safely into Arizona heading for a plane. Ten miles out of Vegas I started shaking. I'd done a man's work, an unmade man in the making, then celebrated with a working woman. Broke the weapon into pieces tossed into the night a little here a little there, like scattered holiday bread a piece for luck thrown off the dam. I crossed the state line from Nevada breathing deep the desert air. Every night some of us living, every night some of us dead. When I was fifty miles past the lights of Kingman, as the desert night again swallowed up the world, "Ave Maria" done a cappella by a strong young woman's voice blew out starkly clear on the radio. A whore's cash laughter still sparkly on my brain her scent still too strong on my skin. "Ave Maria" The night's work still blowing darkly through my soul. "Gratia plena Maria" Cordite on my clothes. Should have lost the clothes but even in Nevada driving naked was a bad idea back then. Next time remember lose the clothes; sweet Jesus can there be a next time? "Et benedictus fructus ventris Ventris tuae, Jesus." No moon in a clear winter sky so pocked with stars there were shadows underneath the Joshua trees. In a borrowed car that seemed to fly I drove the old highway like it was sanctuary down the west side of the state. Less traffic, no point in tempting fate. "Ave Maria" It was a four hour turn around job no time for the town, made time for the whore. Hadn't I earned it? Eight hours to Phoenix. Who's keeping score? "Ave Maria Mater Dei" I laughed being too young to gamble too young to drink, not too young for the chore, not too young for the whore. "Ora pro nobis peccatoribus " No speed limits back then once the town line was crossed. No forgiveness back then when the wrong line was crossed. "Ora pro nobis" The mark saw me coming; I left him right on the lawn. Four hours later and both of us gone I'm threading through Potholes and tumbleweeds torn from the earth my left eye waiting for the slate gray streaks that run before the first pink shades of dawn. "Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus" Once in a while some ramshackle buildings some tumbled down bars poured past the open window in the side flash of the lights and the glow from the stars. "Nunc et in hora mortis" Dead gas stations so old I didn't know the brands. "Et in hora mortis nostrae" It was the old stage road to Wickenberg down to the Valley of the Sun where a hundred years of Anglo dreams lay scattered crumbling on the desert floor. "Et in hora mortis nostrae" Midnight Juarez radio blasting Christmas carols up from the border all the way to Canada. 1,000,000 watts of guerrilla blues, rock and roll and a capella tinsel blowing cowboy preachers off the air, crushing U.S. stations from el Paso to Calgary. Before cell phones, internet, cable TV, they were selling plastic Jesus, beer and cigarettes and soap without a soul. "Nunc et in hora mortis" Seventeen years old a blooded contract killer with a fresh gym bagged bankroll. "Et in hora mortis nostrae" Souvenirs for dreams left to the years that followed. Some burned out tweaker DJ, sipping Tequilla and Robitussin on Alvarado Street tripping on holiday nostalgia, set up the memory of that pure sweet voice carving through the night singing. "Ave Maria" A year's worth of living if I just could make it home. "Ave, ave dominus" The work itself was easy. It was getting out alive that took my breath away. "Ave Maria Gratia plena...." ©2003 by icebox (with apologies to Franz Schubert) |
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| © Copyright 2003 icebox - All Rights Reserved | |||
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BluesSerenade Member Patricius
since 2001-10-23
Posts 10549By the Seaside |
You kind of lost me, but it's all good~ This read real nice....not only the sea of stars, but the mere mention of Arizona reminding me of a man in another place in time. knew I couldn't stop to park along the road to wash clean with sand in the sea of stars. I was running hard and heavy until I was safely into Arizona heading for a plane. So I get lost easily, what of it!!  I will read this a second and third time just to see what I come up with. Needless to say, you got my wheels spinning. |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Interesting...James |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
Thank you for reading this. I appreciate your comments. Don't worry about getting lost; I was lost back then also. *smile* I did worry that it is too confusing a poem. A long difficult memory of a different time. It was so long ago even most of the road is gone. |
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wranx Member Elite
since 2002-06-07
Posts 3689Moved from a shack to a barn |
Cold, stark, bleak and lonely. With "Ave Maria" as background music...Perfect Awesome write. |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
Yes, that is what it was. I am glad you could see it, and hear it. Thank you for reading and for your comment. |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
'When I was fifty miles past the lights of Kingman, as the desert night again swallowed up the world, "Ave Maria" done a cappella by a strong young woman's voice blew out starkly clear on the radio. A whore's cash laughter still sparkly on my brain her scent still too strong on my skin.' I've read several of your posts and I like your style of writing a lot. You have a great sense of humor and talent for unique titles. |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
enjoyed the ride |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
Duncan ~ Thank you for reading this. I am glad you have enjoyed some of my work. Thank you for your comment. passing shadows ~ I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading. |
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