This city, once filled with people became a widow, now finally a corpse. This road, a string of asphalt, dangles like a stray limb from an autopsy table. Oily water in gutters, the tears that ran down her cheek have turned cold. There is nobody left to console her. Malcontent lovers are the city’s enemies. She no longer weeps because we killed her.
The streets are filled with millions of glass bottles. People drink as they walk upon those roads of mottled skin. Their hands are sheet white and their too pale faces turned away. Perhaps some of us have also died and have not yet realised. A toast to euthanasia with a glass of formaldehyde, this is not a party but a wake.
In our apartments, apart from everyone including ourselves we can still hear footsteps and cries through thin walls. Toiling in the bedroom, the flower of our youth, or staggering under crates. There are sad hearts everywhere. You beyond my understanding bring us back and let us find our home.
Comments
mykle | March 23, 2008 - 22:36
This is amazing Jude...
Simply amazing!
mykle | March 23, 2008 - 22:41
* Doubly amazing :O)
poetjude | March 23, 2008 - 23:26
Thanks
I went to the Good Friday concert at Southwark Cathedral and heard Tallis' 'Lamentations of Jeremiah' ... so read the book (it isn't long) when I got home. It is very beautiful. This is a modern take on it, and reaction to it but doesn't even begin to do Jeremiah justice!
jude
LawOfTheOne | March 24, 2008 - 01:03
I liked it. Short, sharp but packed a lot in, and meaningful stuff too.
Especially liked the personification of the town in the first paragraph, brilliant images and style brought it home.
Ewan | March 24, 2008 - 08:34
Although I am an unbeliever (Sorry Jude!) I have found the King James Version of the Bible a great source of inspiration; particularly the Old Testament. It's not just the language, some of the narratives are compelling and thrilling. Joshua is James Bond's ancestor, almost. David and Solomon's antics are classic storylines for relationship tales.
I like what you have done here very much. You should be especially proud of this line:
'A toast to euthanasia with a glass of formaldehyde, this is not a party but a wake.'
regards Ewan
poetjude | March 24, 2008 - 11:53
Ta Ewan.The KJ version is good as is the JB...but the Knox translation (mgr Ronald Knox, 1954) knocks the socks of them. Keep an eye out in charity shops for a copy...it's long out of print now unfortunatly!
jude