Sunday, August 21, 2011

Scenes from a Hotel Room

Scenes from a Hotel Room

Summer rain spatters
the window, the sizzle interrupted
only by the distant flash and report
of the storm. New York is sad today;
heavy and dank. The lights
of Broadway are jealous
of the lightening’s brilliance
their marquee blaze seems weak
and desperate in comparison.

Today is the third of my visit
and I know that the city
no longer loves me. This return
feels like an awkward encounter
with an ex-lover, proper and cordial
with and undertone of regret.
I’m sorry it turned out like it did
but what did you expect? When
a beggar falls for a whore
one of them is bound to get hurt.

SMG

13 comments:

colleen said...

I like this lover's spat between you and the city.

Claudia said...

i read this a few days ago on my iphone..and can't help thinking this city still holds you captivated in a way...she may no longer love you but yep - when a beggar falls for a whore...great write steven..and great to see you at the pub
(should it be an undertone..)

Pat Hatt said...

Yeah the city can be grand, but also such a pain, love the "when a beggar falls for a whore" line

Tashtoo said...

When a beggar falls in love with a whore, ha! Honestly...the title had me worried...didn't know what I was going to find lurking behind the walls. With just the loose change in your pocket, you couldn't have expected her to love you long? Loved the write...and felt the electricity of the city, the energy, and the distaste. Happy OpenLinkNight!

Anonymous said...

the whore loves the beggar just as much.. just differently than before. try wearing the smile and kissing touch of the skin from which both evolved ;-)

x

Timoteo said...

There's a New York hotel deals ad that showed up just below this post...how deliciously ironic!

Brian Miller said...

really like that second stanza...hope i never get that uncomfortable with the city as i still love her...and it would break my heart if she did not love me back...

California Ink in Motion said...

When I finally felt that way about Los Angeles, I moved for good. This caught my eye:

This return
feels like an awkward encounter
with an ex-lover, proper and cordial
with and undertone of regret.


I feel this way any time I have to go for a visit. Great poem! Great words!

Mark Kerstetter said...

This was definitely written by a city person - when even the lights of broadway are jealous of lightning! Swallowed up by New York the sky loses its grandeur, so if one has a falling out with those city lights there's a problem...

Charles Elliott said...

They who love you in NYC still want Times Square back! Last time I asked a cabbie to take me to my ol' neighborhood in Brooklyn he said he wouldn't take a white man there. I feel your pain. But if you are an ambitious writer, you'll go back there again...

Beachanny said...

Flash some money her way again, and she'll come around. She always does. She'll follow you to China town, nibble your ear, and play you for a fool all over again. Because there's no other tramp that can play your strings like that city can!

(I've missed reading you and it's not like I don't have a map to your blog :-)

Eden Baylee said...

I love your poems about NYC - makes me long for her every time.
eden

Caroline Gerardo said...

Beautiful. Returning to her arms of snow and smile of subway stops