Amputated Moon

poetry, nature, writing (all writing is the property of the writer and should be considerd copywritten)

Sep 1

Don’t Look Over There

Category: My Poetry

they want you to lookPraise by Rick Mobbs

there

where the distraction is

building— just

walk away

to the other side

where the red velvet curtains

heavy and dust-filled

hang

pull on the silver ropes

open the drapes

look

 

and see

there

what they don’t want

you to see

the children—hungry

the mothers—ill

the fathers are forlorn

you thought it was sunny

but this is simply the rain

falling

and the black clouds gathering

look

 

see the children wade

in the muddy puddles

their shoes overflowing

water streaming over

shoe laces

see the mothers

gray clouds are mirrored

in their eyes

see the fathers

rise

to look at you

looking at them

 

wait while the mist

parts

wait— and the spectacle

dims and fades

wait

look

and see

 

Pamela Olson, 9/1/08

 

Inspired by One Single Impression

and “Praise” by Rick Mobbs

 

20 comments

20 Comments so far

  1. susan September 1st, 2008 1:39 pm

    I felt pulled along. Curious, wanting to see and then feeling some dread at what you were revealing. Definitely captured my attention.

  2. Deborah Godin September 1st, 2008 2:17 pm

    Thank you for this beautiuflly constructed and intense call to witness.

  3. Nick harvey September 1st, 2008 2:28 pm

    Very Interesting and creatice writing, but also depressing.

  4. Jim September 1st, 2008 3:45 pm

    Hi Pam, we are seeing here what we don’t want to see. And we wait for this to pass? :-) Nice make-you-think poem, thank you.
    ..

  5. SandyCarlson September 1st, 2008 4:31 pm

    Thanks for this spectacle. What lies behind the curtain is awesome and frightening, the truth, the story we seek to hide. This was a wonderful read.

  6. JanePoet - JP/deb September 1st, 2008 5:45 pm

    Pam,

    I love the lines,
    “the mothers
    gray clouds are mirrored
    in their eyes”

    Wonderful poem … so poignant. Thanks for the comment on my blog – no, didn’t see Samantha Bee’s Palin piece – but I am a big Sam Bee & Daily Show fan – I’ll have to try and see it online! Thanks, JP/deb

  7. rick September 1st, 2008 6:25 pm

    I want to echo Deborah. It brings to mind the song, “Streets of London”, and serves the same purpose.

  8. Rachel September 1st, 2008 10:26 pm

    This poem is wonderful. I am a big fan of your blog. =)

  9. AnthonyNorth September 2nd, 2008 3:41 am

    This one sucks you in perfectly.

  10. me Ann my camera September 2nd, 2008 4:07 am

    “Look and see”… To really look is the challenge. Very thought provoking.

  11. patois September 2nd, 2008 7:38 am

    If only I could bring myself to “look and see” more often. Very sad poem, but beautifully done.

  12. Brendan September 2nd, 2008 9:14 am

    This is about as good as a poem which may or not be political can be.

  13. Tumblewords September 2nd, 2008 11:43 am

    Very good. So many layers and undertones, profound and provocative.

  14. zoya gautam September 2nd, 2008 2:52 pm

    ..”profound and provocative”..
    many thanks..

  15. Sandy September 2nd, 2008 3:05 pm

    Your poem reminds me of last year’s hurricane in New Orleans. Thank God, we have not forgotten.

  16. kouji September 3rd, 2008 12:40 am

    lovely lines. hopefully people will look.

  17. Nathalie (Spacedlaw) September 3rd, 2008 2:11 am

    Nothing has changed much since the “bread and circus” distractions provided by the Roman emperors…
    Moving poetry (lovely painting too).

  18. Nathan September 3rd, 2008 3:22 am

    I like the sentiment as much as your use of language. Your imagination took this painting to a place I didn’t expect.

  19. Geraldine September 3rd, 2008 4:09 pm

    There is always so much more than what we think we see, on the surface. YOu have captured this so well. Excellent. G

  20. Jade September 5th, 2008 10:25 pm

    the shrouding of truth, well written.

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