Sunday, January 5, 2014

Cityscape

N.Y. at Night, Vivienne Gucwa

Another story rewritten
under smooth, new skin—
rough worn paths
and broken dreams
  well-hidden within.

Almost invisible in the night
 all forgiven under pale light
  of streetlamp or moon…
Concealed in the shadows
the glory, the beauty
once held as her own,
as time stakes its claim;
 her innocence lost
  much too soon.

© Ginny Brannan 2013

Written for The Mag #201. Image provided by Tess Kincaid, she provides the image, we the story!

Sharing at d'Verse Poets Pub Open Link Night #127

After all what is NYC but a woman always preening, upgrading, reinventing. I love how the beauty of her early years still peeks through in her architecture and old cobblestone streets!

37 comments:

  1. innocence lost too soon is a rather sad ending for me...

    ah i love NYC to...and i like finding the old...the places off the side that not everyone knows about as well....

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    1. Yeah, I see "her" as a street savvy woman, a place of dreams sought, some found, many "broken." Early years shadowed by inner turmoil (the story "Gangs of New York" was true.) Much dirt and corruption in her history. Yet she can still dress herself up and shine as one of the best, showing everyone her backbone when the chips are down! Interesting, unique, inspiring…yes, I like her despite her "shadowed" past!

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    2. she is still that gritty girl in many ways but those are also some of the reasons that i love her so...the places that still surprise you a bit when you get beyond the glitz...

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  2. Love the lines /rough worn paths/ and broken dreams/ well hidden within/ a ballad for NYC, a dirge, yet a love song, nod to the past, yet secured in the moment; very nice job, Ginny.

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  3. This photo of the city at night does call sad stories to mind. Good job.

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  4. 'Another story rewritten' ...even if the sad one, it's the memory of love and beauty at that time, and it will be always comparable to new...

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  5. Intelligently inventive; well written.

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  6. I like to think of New York as a female...lovely write...

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  7. I agree, I think of New York as a female...how she is streetwise...a survivor...great write!

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  8. Perhaps it was forever more.....

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  9. Beauty peeks through no matter our ages .. peephole may have shrunk a bit, but still there nonetheless. Happy New Year Ginny!

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  10. Oh, these young girls - my heart goes out to them!

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  11. i def. see her as a woman as well... always reinventing...i like that... i fell for her the moment i got out of the train at penn station...

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  12. You are young just once... but there is hope also.. lovely poem.

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  13. Cobblestones get me every time. A Sadness to the innocence lost.

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  14. I read a book a few years back about NYC as a dutch settlement - A fascinating read and I adore this metaphor! A few of my children will probably live tucked away in her bosom for a few years at least… :)

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  15. NY for me is always glamour & glitz ~ My favorite part is the last three lines:

    as time stakes its claim;
    her innocence lost
    much too soon.

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  16. broken dreams/well hidden within.. my favorite lines. So true. I love NY. I don't get there very often but when I do, as you say, I admire the beauty of the architecture... the history of the place.

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  17. Having to keep up with the newest thing to stay on top, sad indeed at their feed. NY is great to visit though

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  18. rough worn paths and broken dreams..the city holds a bit of
    mystery. Cobblestone streets hold a magical allure within the
    cracks.

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  19. Very nice. That opening line pulled me right in. :-)

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  20. lovely poem-especially the last three lines.

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  21. love that first line as others have also expressed.....the re-inventive city streets...that is what draws us to them...bkm

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  22. Very interesting personification -characterization, if you will. I often wonder how that lady shares her time & space with so many...

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  23. This type of memory/recognition is helped by the low lighting and fog of many low-lying cities. I wonder why she is always female, other than in the loss of innocence.

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  24. Great poem, if not slightly tragic.

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  25. I love N.Y.C and I love the way you see her in this poem.

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  26. I like the stories that your poem tells about what lies beneath these cobbled stones. Excellent.

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  27. Time past and innocence lost. Wonderful story to tell about these worn stones.

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  28. reminds me of the line in the old song, "renewing their dreams of past glory" - I think you have reminded me how like people cities are, thanks

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  29. Wonderful! I think cobbles earn a certain poignancy in hometowns.

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  30. Gorgeous poem Ginny, true beauty shines through no matter the ravages of time…

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  31. It's certainly a hard life..to survive for some...

    A soul is a horrible thing to lose ..in life..

    Even for subsistence...

    It's sad that we don't take better care of our neighbors..to allow another choice..in life just to eat...maybe one day though..after all.. Scandinavian countries..can do it...fairly well...so maybe we can too..but i guess i should not assume your are from the U.S..if not.. sorry about that assumption..:)

    Oh..and happy !2014! to ya!2

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Thank you for reading my poetry and sharing your thoughts.