Smolder

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

What happened to your heart?

It used to kick

like that old jukebox

in the dive bar on 37th Street,

the one that never checked IDs,

stayed open till three in the morning.

Now it’s black as a Nebraska highway,

long and lonely

as tumbleweed

rolling through an empty town.

When did these nights get so damn long?

Ghosts walk through the room,

whispering in the darkness,

saying your name

like it’s a sin.

I remember your scarlet lipstick,

sharper than a meat cleaver.

You laughing at the bums under the bridge,

whiskey on your breath,

torn dress, paisley and crazy.

The whole crooked city slept

while you smiled at Providence.

Now even the sunflowers and daisies wilt

when you pass by.

You're my Lady of Ashes,

sleeping loud, wrapped tight

in the dirty comforter,

smoke in your hair,

smoldering coals in your soul.

You threw me in the flames,

like a broken wristwatch

that didn’t keep the time you liked.

Watched it blacken,

watched the glass break,

and the good parts of me

turn into soot

that the wind carried away.

Funny how in the graveyard,

some of the tombstones,

you can’t even read the names.

Now I walk around

with love in my pockets

and the smell of you

like smoke

stitched into my coat.

My soul’s had enough,

yeah, my soul’s had enough.

Author's Note

Some poems are better heard than read.
I recently recorded a long-form reading from my book Sleep Always Calls.

Listen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH0fSZlrjno

My Books are available on Amazon.
— Thomas W. Case

Reviews

[Michael Sun Bear]

This was a great read, a great walk through another life, another time. There is sorrow, anger, loss, but it sounds like healing too with love in your pockets. The last two lines hit me like a punch in the gut. Made me realize that most of what I write is about that:

“My souls’s had enough,
yeah, my soul’s had enough.”

Brilliant ending.

[Thomas W Case]

Thanks, my friend.

[Desert Knave]

So much resignation in this piece and I think many of us can identify with that person who no longer has that flame within. ~Jim

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Chris Shaw]

A throw back in time

You threw me in the flames

Those ghosts have a habit of reappearing from time to time. Some super lines here Thomas. There is frequently a rawness to your words. Makes great reading.

Chris

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you so much, Chris.

[John the Baptist]

Memories are great, except when they're not. The speaker in this one is focusing on a bar and a woman he knew there back in the day. It seems to have been good then, but it did not stay that way. She eventually dropped him. Now he looks back with some objectivity. Hopefully, a lesson has been learned.

[Thomas W Case]

Exactly. Thanks, my friend.

[FlatDaddy]

Wow, Thomas, you've lost some weight and several years since that reading, but looking very dapper. You get no argument from me regarding the quality of poems read allowed versus read silently from the page. There is a whole new dimension to your work that the ear loves, especially with that deep, buttery voice of yours spreading smooth poetry like strawberry jam on the flesh of a young thing's stomach, prep work for a lap dog. Delicious work, my friend.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. Kind sir. I appreciate it.

[red93]

Excellent Work again Thomas, and some really great lines and sequences of lines in this. For instance -

Ghosts walk through the room,
whispering in the darkness,
saying your name
like it’s a sin.

Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Soren]

Time ages all and entropy erodes all things physical and mental. Well written Thomas

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Soren]

You are most welcome Thomas

[Randall]

Thomas, there's a lot here to read, to filter through one's feelings, and understand. Very fine writing, Thomas.

Randall...

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Neville]

like I've said before, this is incredible .. I can't think of a word that fits more precisely .. Neville 😎👍

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, brother.