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sleepy-sighPoems
Coming home drunk (As I only rarely do) One night, I heard a man Talking to no one like a reliable friend, Muttering about having his feelings hurt And I knew who he was (or at least a kind of who: Born with no opinions but strong opposition, Always told, “Hey, you want a revolution? Roll your own,” and laughed off, Passed between people and ideas and loyalties Like a stolen beer.) I felt the need to be elsewhere, but the street Dispassionately pressed him and me Between two buildings. I didn’t want to catch his eye, But he caught mine, I couldn’t look away from his face, Twisting like he wanted to say Something else, and then There came a stillness. I stared at him. I’ll admit it, but He was just so ragged and tough, like A cardboard box With bullets inside, And okay, maybe I was a little scared. (I was paralyzed, stuck in his eyes Like the rooms of castles Where no foot has tread, Where ghosts sigh and whisper; And outside there are signs Saying “danger: do not climb You will fall”) Then something broke. He looked away, And whispered in a crumbling voice “You are no one, I am alone,” And then I knew he was.
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Feb 16, 2011
Feb 16, 2011 at 5:56 PM UTC
One Full Twist, One Half Revolution
Coming home drunk (As I only rarely do) One night, I heard a man Talking to no one like a reliable friend, Muttering about having his feelings hurt And I knew who he was (or at least a kind of who: Born with no opinions but strong opposition, Always told, “Hey, you want a revolution? Roll your own,” and laughed off, Passed between people and ideas and loyalties Like a stolen beer.) I felt the need to be elsewhere, but the street Dispassionately pressed him and me Between two buildings. I didn’t want to catch his eye, But he caught mine, I couldn’t look away from his face, Twisting like he wanted to say Something else, and then There came a stillness. I stared at him. I’ll admit it, but He was just so ragged and tough, like A cardboard box With bullets inside, And okay, maybe I was a little scared. (I was paralyzed, stuck in his eyes Like the rooms of castles Where no foot has tread, Where ghosts sigh and whisper; And outside there are signs Saying “danger: do not climb You will fall”) Then something broke. He looked away, And whispered in a crumbling voice “You are no one, I am alone,” And then I knew he was.
Written by
sleepy-sigh
26/American
Feb 16, 2011
Feb 16, 2011 at 5:56 PM UTC
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