On The Rush.
Whether loved or hated a city has otherness.
Sane melts in a blink when thinking of cities.
Tolerate that and find life's verve underneath
its thick asphalt skin.
Sunrise mingles movement of street-vendor
noise with exhausts' blackened fumes that
strangle quiet with odour of toxic staleness.
Country-side dwellers pack cameras and run
for excitable fun in neon's night-bright faces.
Convention, idolised by ceremonial allure
visitor-fever clutters streets of a city with
increasing intention its gilt-glitter to buy.
Eyes of all shades widen in wonder as mass
invasion of age-old custom dashes to empty
contents of wallets in perpetual holiday trade.
All praise for its generous resident welcome.
Hats off to city folk who love the familiar
celebratory féting of performance ritual
in coloured regalia before night's gaudy
take-over 'til morning's unshaven yawns
wink when waking to the late run again.
Yes whether liked or loathed a city boasts
not only glorious history but un-distanced
preference for living shoulder to shoulder.
Racing to earn crusts an early rush copes
with squeeze of discomfort as hands wryly
knead city bread with desire for its crumbs.
Accept crush to find its vibrant otherness.
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Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: February 18th, 2021 04:36
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 52
Offline)
Comments5
Good write Fay.
And thanks for this one too Fay. As a born and bred East End Londoner, who left, then came back for a while ‘City’ is synonymous with London. Your piece captures something there. I have a love of the place – it has taught me much over the years, though right now I’m pretty happy in one of Sydney’s quieter suburban backwaters. Anyway it deserves your tribute, in my mind if not for now, then for the time I remember best.
Love that last line, Fay! While I enjoy city life, I do prefer being away from it.
Great description of city life Fay, I have been to London many times but I am afraid it is not for me, I much prefer the peace of the countryside.
That picture did remind me of a letter I saw in a newspaper once which now applies to me as I am no longer being herded along the city roads as I am the one that now walks the other way in peace and comfort.
Andy
'run
for excitable fun in neon's night-bright faces'
a wonderfully phrased image of twilight hue - beauty, experienced amongst nature's uniquely: revitalising effects..
your message is an important one, highlighting opposing perspectives to enlighten our realisation, that one or neither, need always be the answer
if we dig deep enough, we'll find 'water' wherever we may be, what a grounding concept - as reminder, to our interconnectivity even in these challenging time's..
a good write dear Fay, with a timely and pertinent message
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