09 April 2009

Another draft.

Petworth.

I.

Turning his head skyward, he breathed in
the smoke and residue of the cannabis
saturated air

Slowing, he turned to me in askance
inviting me to suggest my approval

which I dare not.

Enervated, I looked groundward
pushing the smoke from my lungs
willing the smell of soft drugs
to dissapate from this place.

II.

A British newspaper called here
the last great deal in the capital city
ignoring the evictions and perpetually
late buses, and the children

they who run the streets like unfettered
rats--a pestilence to those who mind their
actions and exclamations of swear words
which come to them as a second nature

And yet, all is not lost here.

This is no Sodom or Gomorrah.
Just a forgotten place
No need to run with Lot and pray to not look back

When the girl at the aging Safeway
can still declare love for a man who is not
"Bad, as some men here can be"
I remember that for all its imperfections
here is home and not a bad place to be.

2 comments:

Washington Cube said...

Have you ever been to London? Fwilthy. They didn't call it "Big Black Smoke" for nutthin'.

ma said...

Yes, Cube!

I have been to London. I like it, but I seem to end up spending more time in outside of the city when I visit England.

London's fine, but I'd be happy living anywhere in England. :)