Asphalt Hope

Hope is an asphalt street

my bare feet walk upon.

Bright sunny days resemble

cold dark nights

my tears fall asleep to

when no one is watching

not even the moon.

The oath was meant to be

Something we said for life

And yet in spite of it

You waived your witches stick

And turned me into

An unemployed cleaner

without a paycheck.

Nowadays I walk around

Looking for that thing

Your apathy has turned me into

I am dead flowers now

Love thrown back in my face

Rejected forever

Because I couldn’t pay rent for you.

Deciding not to feed me

Seems to typify

Nine years of rejection

Happily ever after starves,

And dies, get repaved as

Asphalt hope

my bare feet walk upon.

Copyright © 2022 Charles Edward York

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