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Sunday 21 September 2008

Sunday Scribblings. Invitation..


WINO’S BENCH
Dying in this melting pot of my little bit of bohemia.
The wino’s bench sits in all weathers inviting confessions all day.
They say, sixty-six languages are spoken in this neck of the woods.
By the same token the Jam-patios, unintelligible to all.
Except for to, some followers of the Ethiopian guru.
But like Dreadlocks once said, that that’s the way things should be after the fall.
Since the tower of Babel and hanging baskets of Babylon fell.
And we all fall, there is no escape and it is not will I? But, when?
And Jin Singh walks past with his brown-paper suitcase spilling out his smalls.
I knew it would rain, he complains as he hurries by the wino’s bench.
And they are in fine form today and out in force and speaking nonsense.
The bottles and cans empty and broken like the men who drank them dry.
And cold old Irish Pete hugs his shillelagh like there’s no tomorrow.
And slowly he downs the last drop from the miniature for the third time.
Across the street outside the corner shop even the currency talks.
They take Euros, dollars and cents, Zloty and Roubles for crack cocaine.
And young bodies change hands for ten pounds for ten minutes, dead or alive.
The Somalian’s have got their own café now and their own dealers.
They only speak Arabic to your face and perfect English at home.
Like everybody else, they want your money not your conversation.
Even the barber invites you to speak Hebrew; it’s all Greek to me.
Such and such a sort of double Dutch but those that speak Urdu still do!
And at the Delhi-deli they leave out the old veg for the wino’s.
But the alkies don’t eat unless they go to the soup kitchen at night.
Winter is coming fast this glorious Indian summer can’t last.
MSC210908

24 comments:

  1. Your bohemia could be Toronto, Canada, but I suspect it isn't? Where is it?

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  2. Hi Jennifer, we live in Manchester UK and the whole world goes right past our doorstep everyday.

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  3. "Like everybody else, they want your money not your conversation."

    What a biting, keen observation. Thanks for the read.

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  4. Thanks Susan, I believe you're a bit Bohemian yourself!

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  5. This piece has a haunting feel to it Sweet Talker! I think it's the last line that kind of leaves you tingling...

    I enjoyed the peek at the wino's bench. :)

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  6. Hi Texasblu, I had a quick look at your piece earlier, will be over to comment when I get a Moment.

    By the way I can see the Wino's bench from this keyboard..

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  7. Enjoyed your story-telling technique with this poem, and the line that stood out to me was exactly what Susan commented on.

    Thank you for stopping by!

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  8. Exactly how I remember it - it hasn't changed...except more people from more places.

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  9. Nice read - it's full of truth. Have to love the wino's bench. Clever way you worked the diversity into coinage.

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  10. Great. You think you are on to a safe thing, but bits of truth keep popping out of the words at you.

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  11. Hi alotus-poetry, many thanks for visiting.

    Hi stan, Yeah there's a lot of people from Somalia here thesedays and we've got a lot of new Hal Al places springing up too. Which is good for the area, it gives a better social mix.

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  12. Thanks Sue at Tumblewords, I just thought that money talks whatever language you speak.

    Hi Philip, Everybody has a nickname don't they?

    Thanks Dave!

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  13. This was a great social commentary. And it is a scene in so many cities and towns.

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  14. Hi Anthony, that was the scene yesterday, imagine what it was like before the street drinking ban came in...

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  15. what a rich microcosm of humanity filled in these lines. peace, JanePoet~JP/deb

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  16. wowzie!!
    I could never be able to conjure anything nearly as good as this :)

    AMAZING!

    They say, sixty-six languages are spoken in this neck of the woods.
    wow! really?

    And slowly he downs the last drop from the miniature for the third time.
    i like this line ... :) Don't know why, bt I have see this happening a lot of times.

    Like everybody else, they want your money not your conversation.
    So very true!

    Thanks for visiting!

    I am glad I read this one!

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  17. Hi veens, glad you liked it. I just checked your blogger profile, you must be the busiest person ever. I'll be over to one of your blogs when I get a moment.
    Andy

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  18. I really like this poem.

    Loved this line: "But like Dreadlocks once said, that that’s the way things should be after the fall./ Since the tower of Babel and hanging baskets of Babylon fell."

    We're all the same, aren't we.

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  19. I really like the style and the flow.. a commentary of sorts - of everyday life!!very well written
    I expecially loved these lines

    "They only speak Arabic to your face and perfect English at home.

    Like everybody else, they want your money not your conversation."


    Birthday Invite

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  20. What a mixed up world we live in! I am currently working in London and your words conjure a scene I see every day.

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  21. Hi Skyelarke, thanks for visiting STG

    Thanks Preethi for the great comment.

    Hi Keith, It's a small world and shrinking..

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  22. i envy anyone who can do poetry....those who do it well make me want to never write again.

    i may find that second one here on your blog.

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  23. Hi quin browne, I hate poets too, they're all so much better than me..

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