Sunday, February 16, 2014

11th August

     Universal Studios Lot, Instagram by sessepien

At day’s end
 when shadows were long
we’d sit and dangle bare legs
over the edge
of the fire escape.
Looking down on the city
was sort-of magicy.
The smell of
bus-fumes-liver-and-onions-pot-curry
danced through the air
and the tiny people below
softened into vagueness
as the sun snuck off.
You and I would talk about
far away…
   long ago…
      yet to be…
There were forests 
full of green and grey,
swimming pools,
and yards big enough for puppies.
There were dragons and gargoyles 
to be dealth with;
criminals to be fought, 
awards to accept.
We could go anywhere,
do anything,
and nothing could stop us.
Except for mama
calling us to bed.


This is for The Mag creative writing site hosted by Tess Kincaid, and also linked to dVerse open link night.  Click on the links and check them out for some great writing.

48 comments:

  1. Those dragons and gargoyles have to be stopped haha fun to let the imagination go

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  2. Love the flow of your poem, especially 'Looking down on the city
    was sort-of magicy.' ~ nice evocative...

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    1. Thanks Humbird. I am fond of the word "magicy" of late. :o)

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  3. I adore this nostalgic poem, Mary...

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  4. what a cool moment and perspective you chose...the birds eye view on the world below...i shared quite a few of those conversations with friends....bus-fumes-liver-and-onions-pot-curry...ha i love the smell you chose for it...smiles.

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  5. I felt as if I was in a dream...until mama called. Lovely.

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  6. yes- reminds me of my childhood summers!

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    1. We could do anything then, couldn't we Kathe? Thanks for stopping by.

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  7. I love this. So much. Could be a scene from a movie, or straight from the childhood of many some decades ago. Your poem really touched me.

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  8. Excellent. Beautiful imagery ... sense of carefree days ...loved it!

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  9. The city takes on a new view from the fire escape above where dreams
    takes seed...I enjoyed this one..

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  10. Love it ... everyone should have a bosom friend in whom to confide all childhood's secrets and fantasies and yes, everyone should have a loving mama to call out, "Time for bed!" This is a lovely piece!

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  11. I like your take on the fire escape as a place to make up stories and dream.

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  12. Would you believe it? I'm reading your poem and Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4 is playing on my internet radio station. Loved your poem. It brought back memories of similar scenarios.

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Haha - that's cool! Thanks, I'm glad this one resonated with you. :o)

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  13. Great capture, I love it. So beautiful.....

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  14. Like Lovecraft, you have taken a little chunk of the city as a portal and whisked us back to a time when it was more alive , this is a great talent to have my friend , and thank you...cheerio !

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  15. Ah, what a sweet vision of growing up in the city and dreaming of what's beyond. Lovely, Mary.

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  16. Oh, how lovely. Tugged at every little heart string in me.

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  17. Lovely and evocative...you took me back with you...

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    1. Thank you Tess. And thanks for providing the picture.

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  18. I love it ~ Those were carefree imaginative hours before we go home for supper ~

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  19. I always wished that time of day could go on forever.

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  20. We all felt that way at one point.

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  21. This is great Mary, I love nostalgic journeys into peoples past. Well done.

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  22. Beautifully lovely nostalgia. Magical poem really. Ah, those were the days.......

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  23. Smiling, got to love those kinds of days.

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  24. City livin' and growin up "on the roof" - wish it had been me. While you dreamed of castles in spain, in Texas I dreamed of "the Stork club", the round table at the Algonquin, Times Square, Metropolitan, the Julliard School, and Broadway...as I gazed across yellow grass at a commanding water tower and wondered if there was anywhere that wasn't flat as a pancake. Well penned.

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  25. Your poem is wistful and nostalgic. :-) I love the last line especially.

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  26. ah smiles... city children.... we used to do the same, just we sat on a tree in our more small town setting... smiles..i like that you wove in smell as well

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  27. What could be seen, smelt and heard in our childhood. Your imagery held me, thank you for this delightful read.

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  28. I love it... Have never experienced a city like that, but somehow through films and books you took me straight there...

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  29. Gosh darn good images in my head, and I can still smell those liver and onions... your writing is so right on in a magicy kind of nostalgic way!

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  30. Beautifully poignant. I can still hear my mother's end of the day calls yet!

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  31. ooh I love this...you nailed it with this poem coupled with this image.

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  33. This was a poem for the senses. I could see it, feel it, smell it a hear it. It was sensational...I loved it!

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  34. Wonderfully nostalgic and evocative.

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  35. Mary, what a stunningly great twist to close. Fine response to the prompt, but really a wonderful stand-alone piece, too. ~

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