DETROIT UNHINGED poem

By Richard L. Provencher

Mon, 06 Jul 2009
  • 1184 reads
3 comments
 

Detroit Unhinged

I saw the face of despair on
the news last night—an hour of concern

houses lost through mortgages
abandoned to vandals
and bargain-buyer dealers

homes for even a $1

wind ravaged
introducing a beaver into the river
first time in 75 years
heard it later on Regis’ show.

The wrinkled singer on his porch
strumming out hard times
came here fifty-one years ago
with nothing

time has a way of plinking its way
back around the bend.

And I wept for America
a land of friends
a place the world looks up to
wounded
but not out of the picture.

Overcome the decay
in your neighbourhoods
and streets with crowded asphalt
broken window reminders
of your pain.

I know you’ll come back to America
and I’ll be waiting.

© 2009 Richard L. Provencher
All Rights Reserved

Certificate U
POETRY - A Passage of Motion 2
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by sarah wilson on
I really like this Richard, there's a sadness to it which is so relevant:) sarah x

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Hi Nathan--hope you have a great holiday. Right now, I have been writing a lot; when the muse hits, do it. Every once in a while, like now, I experiment a little, like a branch reaching from the main trunk of inspiration. What comes out, no one really knows. But, it's fun. Writing should be fun. Richard LP
Richard L. Provencher

Submitted by Richard L. Prov... on
Hello Sarah, Yes Detroit is having its problems right now, and I was mezmerized watching the program re its difficulties due to the global cunch. Part of the writiing life is writing about the sadness, and conveying an air of encouragment, rather than only dwell on the loss of dignity for such a great city. Richard LP
Richard L. Provencher