She with the mask on walks among us
veins pumping the same poisons
lips a wall built up against the same words
but eyes that reflect a different shadow
hands longing to take the world by the throat
and ready with a match to set it all aflame
Cast your eyes down to distant streets
and witness glimpses of depravity
She has known them, close enough to feel their breath
now gone to a world filled with echoes of that madness
The walls there are flowing liquid
just enough to blur the edges
and keep stray hands from reaching through
but her skin is soaked with it
and her hand remains ready with a match
to find out if the walls flow with water or with gasoline
—
Seem to have cities on my mind lately…
—
The Light is On 
5 responses to “Matchstick Lullaby”
David I love the title of this piece and your words “She has known them, close enough to feel their breath
now gone to a world filled with echoes of that madness.” I see a woman who has spent too much time in a city where horrors occur and people are not kind. She has built up a wall even to the point of trying not to see the ugliness around to the point of wanting to burn it. Maybe I am just thinking of working downtown Seattle for a number of years. It is a beautiful and fun city, however seeing the homeless and poor everyday and trying to help but just too many people. Also people in a hurry not being kind to one another was hard. This reminded me of the woman in your piece. Love 💕 Joni
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I agree that being exposed to suffering every day can wear you down so quickly… a kind of city sickness. I suppose it’s all we can do to help out wherever we can, however we can. Thanks Joni (:
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‘She’ the city of lost-ness and surrounded by dangerous sea.
New York City and Detroit
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Amazing imagery in this poem! I felt like I was right there, taking in the city. Excellent job! 😊
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Thank you (:
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