Clueless

Clueless

 

 

homeless,

faithless,

subway tokens

waiting for the next stop

restless

fearless

 

construction

of destruction

alleged

over the edge

 

a borough’s nightmare

a shadowed memory of time spent there

on those rails

 

under ten,

a naive boy

this kind of world may have come to fruition

as ammunition is spent

sixty years hence

six pence

subway tokens

 

flailing

bullets sailing

screams of terror echo

the doors open

train comes to rest

 

pronounced quiet

it's over

as the wounded are gathered

then sirens break out of their sleep

 

reminders

finders

of forensics

trainspotting

blood blotters

 

the engineer is sixty-two

and angry

the boy is grown up

watching the news

asking why the world

 

has changed so much

when a perpetrator 

suddenly fires answers

 

all over Brooklyn

 

and an aging man in the Midwest

turns his head

to the sound.

 

 

erin-cilberto

4/14/22

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

“the boy is grown up
watching the news
asking why the world
has changed so much
when a perpetrator
suddenly fires answers
all over Brooklyn”
Your amazing poem brought back so many memories for me J. : 6 train, tenements, 9/11…I lived through it in the Bronx. All represented here in the flash of your evocative lines and imagery. The ptsd of that experience changes us. You are truly brilliant and your skill is unmatched. Kudos my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I was gone from the Bronx in 1958...but often rode the subway....thanks your understanding review, Annette,
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

this terrorism strikes home for you .. and emotion rolls off each line for me. how very different the times are ... no doubt ... you use to ride as a young boy .. safely ... i grew up in Up State and took the bus by myself all over the place at such an age .. the dangers are always present .. we were naïve as were our parents perhaps in letting us live so freely; but the same dangers have grown and outpaced our protective shields ... i can't help but wonder the skin color of the victims ... Black lives matter being mute on this incident ... hmmmmmmmmmm! strong write .. relative timely social commentary .. really appreciate the contrast of times .. kind of miraculous that none of those injured were killed ..
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, quite miraculous, E.
thanks for your read and words,
j.

[keith]

an interesting take and enjoyable read
'turns his head
to the sound.' ... an understatement of increase violence

history of man's violence has been forever
cain slaying abel
roman legions
the crusades
trail of tears
bombing of OKC's black wall street
assassinations of
'jack' kennedy
robert kennedy
martin luther king jr
9/11
1six
when has there ever been a moment of peace?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

very few moments...
thank you, keith,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

A hard read J. Violence is on the increase. When it takes place in areas you have frequented yourself in more peaceful times, it hits home even more. There are horrors everywhere. Two beautiful areas where I live, I can't bring myself to visit. Three dead by a terrorist abd in another incident a 13 year old knifed to death and the three young perpetrators under lock and key. What's it all about? All in the last two years. Brings on feelings of both anger and despair. Great writing.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

sure changes the perspective, doesn't it? beauty and comfort marred by terror.
thank you, Chris,
j.

[Betty Hermelee]

You and I are from the city, though this horror show did not happen in our boroughs, it is still a catastrophic occurrence….you describe this with strong, angry words, which is what it should be….these shooting incidents must stop NOW….and these poor souls on that train were clueless. Now one of my grandchildren who works in NYC is in fear of taking the subway to work. Good take on this shooting in your own poetic way.
Best
B.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

no, but it did happen in Cool Joe's borough...
Yes, poor people just going about their day, innocent victims....so sad,
thank you for your words,
j.

[NoPoetry]

easy to read, tough to digest. great raw stuff here

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind words,
j.

[JE Falcon]

Not sure what you just said, but I like subway tokens, so I spent some and took the E-Train to Clueless Station. The engineer is old, so he slept thru the departers.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I still feel very close ties to NY from my Bronx days...the events in the last couple days there hit hard. I rode that subway many times as a kid...always safe then. thank you, JE,
j.

[JE Falcon]

The lack of respect for the law, law enforcement, and other people's lives is a sickness that our society has cultivated in everything society now does. There is no personnel responsibility, it is always someone else that caused them to do it. 'tis sad and sick!

[Desert Knave]

Wow. Hard to find words to review this one ... other than to say that it is a gut punch. ~Jim

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Jim,
j.

[knighngale]

Oh my goodness Cilberto! It may happen again. I always run away. I don't want to but a little self says go. So, I go. LOL. It's hard. I don't know where I am. I have a card that won't work until two weeks. I look into the bus screen, and it's still the 27th. LOL. It's too damn hard, I have to say, great read! :FF Knighngale

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Knighngale,
j.

[knighngale]

your welcome dear, :D KnighnGale

[UnholyFate]

Holy wow.
Here’s what hit me the most: “ A borough’s nightmare
A shadowed memory of time spent there
On those rails”
“A perpetrator suddenly fires answers, all over Brooklyn.”
Dude I’m in awe. Also the reuse of “subway tokens” really caught me.
You are a talented writer.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this hit too close to home, what happened...rode that subway way too many times as a kid,
thank you for your words,
j.

[UnholyFate]

Thanks for sharing