Hope is a Junkyard Sparrow

My books are available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-W.-Case/author/B0CL2RKDGX?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid

Hope is the little feral furry thing
that sits on a shelf behind your heart
when the room smells of sweat
and old beer,
and the streets haven’t cut you any slack
since last Tuesday.

It’s the last nickel in your pocket,
scratching against your thigh
while you count your steps to the liquor store
and hope they still sell
airplane bottles of that cheap vodka.

It’s breath
and a junkyard sparrow,
shallow, ragged,
in the alley behind the tavern,
where neon paints the sidewalk
and rain tastes like ambrosia.

It’s the little bluebird
that keeps your hand moving
over the keyboard,
over the crumpled paper,
even when the specters in the corners
laugh at your obstinate drive.

It’s the click in your brain

that whispers,
Don’t quit yet,
while the world collapses around you,
while nights stretch into eternity,
and the last coffee filter ran out days ago.

Hope doesn’t beg for fame or aplomb.
It doesn’t polish itself.
It slithers beneath the skin,
a little blood, a little breath,
and somehow,
it keeps you waking up.

Author's Note

If you’d like to hear more of my work, I recently posted a long-form poetry reading on my YouTube channel — one or two poems from each of my four books, read in a relaxed, uninterrupted session.

You can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY2euFFCXLI

Thank you for reading and supporting independent poetry.

— Thomas W. Case

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Thomas, your imagery gets better with every offering. This one oddly made me think of First Corinthians Thirteen, St. Paul's great meditation of faith, hope and charity. I don't know if Paul would have clicked with the junkyard sparrow image of hope, but I'm sure he would have dug the last words: it's what keeps you waking up.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you so much.

[Betty Hermelee]

Your very powerful words resonate throughout this piece...so many truths that are disheartening ....but there is a bit of hope deep down inside..."its' the little Bluebird that keeps your hand moving"..."don't quit yet, while world collapses around you"...."hope doesn't beg for fame or aplomb:.... All of this is heart-breaking as one comes to the edge, but doesn't jump off... that little bit inside that says you can do it!
Excellent
Warmly, B

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, Betty. Much appreciated.

[Betty Hermelee]

My pleasure Thomas!
Warmly, B

[JessyJacob]

Hi Thomas,
I feel hope is something which boosts your energy levels. If hope is hurting you it means you are disappointed. People with depression sit and cry. Your poem made me to do this thing that my man whom I believed is one made my life better though he couldn't be part of my life, because if I deppress and cry then it is that you are making your lover a guilty kind of wrong thing he did to you. So I set my goal to do more, because true love emanates beautiful life, and for me he is life line.
So far resolved critical problems now, i have my parents and son support and his love, now I am thinking of giving a pride to celebrate my presence to my family, a million dollar business, yes i am planning to set up a business that fetches money so far i tried to help people and made ideas to help them but this time I am targeting with my full time job to become millionaire not like slum dog millionaire but like my Appa who became so with his sweat and hard work..

Hope my lines help you come out from dishope though you are saying hope ..

Jessy Jacob ❤️
Keep rising though people make you fall

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[D. Mansfield]

Another in a long line of great poems Thomas. Thank you

[Thomas W Case]

Much appreciated, my friend.

[Soren]

Here image after image, each metaphor building the view of hope. A fragile thing that nestles in every nook and cranny, something always there. Built of the common it becomes the special, a Christian God was supposed to have been born of humble birth and a common man. Nicely done

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you so much.

[Soren]

You are most welcome Thomas

[Michael Sun Bear]

Boy that title hooked me hard, and nowhere was I disappointed with what I read. “In the alley behind the tavern” is where I would tell people I meet much of your poetry, and that’s meant to be a sincere compliment. Another Thomas Case instant classic!

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you so much.

[Desert Knave]

Beautiful. I still scratch at the crumpled paper because I cannot imagine not doing so. ~Jim

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[SYNN]

Yes! Those small bottles! I've seen them but never got to that point.
My walls were melting when my hands were scraping wet paint with the point of my pen.
The same need, a little bit different display of desparation.
You are so inspiring! Your coffee filters ran out...
I was shooting coffee because that's all I could get at the time.
KInd of Like Bukowski drinking all that beer when you know he wants that much rot gut whiskey.
You blow my skirt up...ever heard that one? You're great! Thanks for posting.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. Much appreciated.