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| 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
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
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!
innocence lost too soon is a rather sad ending for me...
ReplyDeleteah i love NYC to...and i like finding the old...the places off the side that not everyone knows about as well....
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!
Deleteshe 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...
DeleteLove 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.
ReplyDeleteThis photo of the city at night does call sad stories to mind. Good job.
ReplyDelete'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...
ReplyDeleteIntelligently inventive; well written.
ReplyDeletebeautifully written....
ReplyDeleteI like to think of New York as a female...lovely write...
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think of New York as a female...how she is streetwise...a survivor...great write!
ReplyDeletePerhaps it was forever more.....
ReplyDeleteWell penned Ginny.
ReplyDeleteBeauty peeks through no matter our ages .. peephole may have shrunk a bit, but still there nonetheless. Happy New Year Ginny!
ReplyDeleteOh, these young girls - my heart goes out to them!
ReplyDeletei 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...
ReplyDeleteYou are young just once... but there is hope also.. lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteCobblestones get me every time. A Sadness to the innocence lost.
ReplyDeleteI 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… :)
ReplyDeleteNY for me is always glamour & glitz ~ My favorite part is the last three lines:
ReplyDeleteas time stakes its claim;
her innocence lost
much too soon.
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.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet sense of poignancy here
ReplyDeleteHaving to keep up with the newest thing to stay on top, sad indeed at their feed. NY is great to visit though
ReplyDeleterough worn paths and broken dreams..the city holds a bit of
ReplyDeletemystery. Cobblestone streets hold a magical allure within the
cracks.
Very nice. That opening line pulled me right in. :-)
ReplyDeletelovely poem-especially the last three lines.
ReplyDeletelove that first line as others have also expressed.....the re-inventive city streets...that is what draws us to them...bkm
ReplyDeleteVery interesting personification -characterization, if you will. I often wonder how that lady shares her time & space with so many...
ReplyDeleteThis 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.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem, if not slightly tragic.
ReplyDeleteI love N.Y.C and I love the way you see her in this poem.
ReplyDeleteI like the stories that your poem tells about what lies beneath these cobbled stones. Excellent.
ReplyDeleteTime past and innocence lost. Wonderful story to tell about these worn stones.
ReplyDeletereminds 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
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I think cobbles earn a certain poignancy in hometowns.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous poem Ginny, true beauty shines through no matter the ravages of time…
ReplyDeleteHaunting!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a hard life..to survive for some...
ReplyDeleteA 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