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Open Poetry #28
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Three In The Afternoon (People Watching Challenge)
| Open Poetry #28 |
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Three In The Afternoon (People Watching Challenge) |
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timothysangel1973
since 2001-12-03
Posts 1725Never close enough 
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Forty-ish, divorced mom of two, tired hands and back, as she creeps up the stairway each afternoon at three. Worn, and bent from lifes peculiar lessons in love, and loss. A familiar pace that she makes for herself each morning, and afternoon. She smiles at me, and in that moment, as if my camera is rolling...I capture the face that time has wrinkled, and the eyes that pain have scarred. With minds mental lead, I quickly sketch what I see, then later, she becomes a part of my thoughts as I wonder... ...How long has it been since happiness camped in her heart? ********** Barely twenty-one, young, vibrant and full of oats to sew, He rushes up the walkway each afternoon at three. Only a few brief moments before his shift at the gas station begins, his face in need of good wash, and his mind in need of some promise that what he is doing is really worth it. ...His young bride waits at home, with a tiny miracle that neither of them expected. Two lives made another life, two jobs to hold the fort down, and survive this wind that seems to rock their tiny boat madly about the sea of a life that neither was planned nor prepared for. ...He glances my way, and though I do not say it aloud, as our eyes meet I tell him, "You are doing the right thing." ...My inner camera flashes, and I save his image in my dark room, of thoughts to remember. ********** Just as I am telling these stories to my muse, I see him. Full of reason, and substance, and self-assurance he takes his steps with a laid-back style that is all his own. I feel my heart skip a beat, just as it did the first time that I laid eyes on him. His head tilted away from the sun, eyes squinting...he sees me, and he smiles. Once again, he steals my heart, and in my mind I recall two sad stories that met each other and found love and life within the other. He nears me, tired from a days work, exhales deeply at the long walk behind him and opens the door, and slides his work worn body in beside me, and turns gently... "I missed you today" he says sweetly, and a thousand waves crash a thousand shores as my heart turns to a mysterious liquid under the sound of his voice. "We are together now." I tell him, and lean into his moist body, and place a kiss on the five o'clock shadow, ...even though it's only three in the afternoon. [This message has been edited by timothysangel1973 (08-28-2003 11:13 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2003 Tima Chavis Cooke - All Rights Reserved | |||
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
gosh I'm speechless here |
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QjQ Member Elite
since 2003-04-18
Posts 3756U.S.A. |
Fabulous!!! |
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littlewing Member Rara Avis
since 2003-03-02
Posts 9655New York |
Tima well met indeed and good for you keep it alive, Lord knows this is hard to do . . . what beautiful writing Tima, touched me deeply. xxoo |
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
touched by each, especially the the third.. M |
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angelblueyes Member Elite
since 2003-07-19
Posts 2148Oklahoma |
Absolutely wonderful.You've exceeded the challenge here my friend.  Crystal |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
How long were you on that walkway?? These, all three, were amazing. Captured very well and told beautifully. Susan |
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timothysangel1973
since 2001-12-03
Posts 1725Never close enough |
Dix - You SPEECHLESS...hehe, that was funny! Glad you liked it! QjQ - Thank you kind sir! Sue - YES! It is very hard to keep the home fires burning sometimes, I guess that is the REAL challenge, but loving and being loved makes it easier! Nakd - YES! The third is my favorite too,,,hehe Crystal - Thank You m'friend! Susan - I pick my hubby up from work each day at 3, and I see all kinds of people coming up that walkway...most of them I know, and some I wished that I knew better. They don't just go there for money, they all have a life at the end of that walkway...I see it in their faces and eyes. Oh God, I'm a Poetic Clarevoyant....ooh, thats spooky huh? Thanks to you all! |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Enjoyed this much, lady. You have quite a skill at portraiture, I love that you took your time with details and it just ached weary with authenticity. Wonderful! |
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garysgirl 
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Tima, you had me there on that walkway with you. That's what good writing is. Right? You are very talented, my friend, and wrote very well of what you took with your minds camera. I'll bet you've got a lot more stories that you could tell us.  Hugs  Ethel (psssstttt!!! this hopeless romantic really loved that last story, too. HeeHee!! More, please?) |
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timothysangel1973
since 2001-12-03
Posts 1725Never close enough |
Karen - Thanks, I wasn't sure if this was what the challenge called for, but I do watch these same people each and everyday and I often wonder what their lives are like. Some always look happy, and some look extremely sad. I am so glad that you enjoyed it. Your challenge made me think really hard about the faces that pass me by. I'm ready for the next challenge...hehe Ethel - Thank you so much! And, just let me tell you...I am a set of old dusty diaries and encyclopedias...hehe. I am so glad that you liked it! |
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Tiersdin Member Elite
since 2000-11-17
Posts 2364east coast |
These photos deserve another view! Beautifully written, all... ~tier |
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