Sometimes You Find . . .

What a sad thing is discovered while strolling down the street.

Touring the city
at a quarter to eleven,
and my feet shuffle slowly
by an alleyway where
two streetlights
shine down on a woman.

I stare and her eyes meet mine.
She runs, holding up her long
tattered coat,
as I wave my hands in protest.
I'm not here to harm her.
But she limps past.

I find a part of her story
in the murky
depths of a garbage can-

wondering with all my heart
what burden carried her down
here to leave
it . . .
staring at darkness
instead of living in the light.

 

©November 16, 2016 / Jerry Pat Bolton

Reviews

[Tazeen Ahmed]

intensely captured lines!
just flawless...
"staring at darkness
instead of living in the light."

[JerryB]

Love that you singled out my favorite two lines of the poem Tazeen. You are very kind with your review.

[Sami Khalil]

"wondering with all my heart
what burden carried her down
here to leave
it . . .
staring at darkness
instead of living in the light."

This poem has truth and personal dimension to it. You mix simple things with grand truths...:)...................

[JerryB]

I am delighted that you found the time in what I believe is a busy schedule to give my poem a read and comment. Thank you for that, Sir.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome. Any time...:).....................

[Lydia Shutter]

Brutally sad scene depicted so well. We can not know what goes on in another's mind. Many live in darkness and choose not to see any positive aspects to life. Lydi**

[JerryB]

That's a fact, Lydia unfortunately. I have lived in the dark much of what I call my two lost decades. I finally found my way out of it. I have a habit of recalling some of those dark days within the lines of some of my poetry. Thank you for checking my poem out.