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Main St. USA...
Main Street, it ran from one end of town
straight through on route five
all the way to Schenectady
and in the other direction, to Fonda
It seemed like almost everyone on Main St.
was a refugee of some kind from somewhere
from war, economic disaster, socio-paths
who dreamt of running a country with guns...
But as a neighborhood, we looked out for each other
The neighbors that had a phone, called the cops
when my father beat my mother and us kids too unmercifully
They'd haul him off to do a week or two in jail with a fine
Old Preacher Carl had a church in his living room
behind the cardboard Jesus and the cats
in the window, every Sunday
Mary store-owner always in the front pew
Tony's bar down the street, first stop for many men
cool and dark in the heat
Two beers until supper
"Here he comes, run across the street, for bread"
Fireflies flickering, music playing from a dozen TV's
"I Love Lucy", beer and cigarette commercials
Stand in line for wash up
Whispers only in the dark
Listening to the train run down the valley
Traffic leaving work second-shift
I saw the glow of the big G.E.
Reassuring and a safe tomorrow
I don't know where those dreams went
the ones that took me down such different paths
Just wanting to belong
On Main St. USA
Style / type:
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity):
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Review Request (Direction):
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What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
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Last few words:
In all actuality, this is a conglomerate of the streets where I grew up. I mixed and matched places, [the names Preacher Carl with Mary storeowner and Tony's bar have been kept together, for the last few people who will remember the way the neighborhood was, but not on Main St. ~ Geezer.
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New York State - USA
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Comments
neopoet
Thu, 2023-10-19 15:13
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Candlewitch
Fri, 2023-10-20 15:33
dear Geezer,
this is a good poem introducing the base of many stories. personally, I would like to know more about the people and your connection to them. this piece is engaging to be sure.
*hugs & love, Cat
*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.
Geezer
Fri, 2023-10-20 22:30
I have had...
some thoughts about that. I have on occasion, written about true things in my works. Usually, I say something about it in the last words or my comments. Actually, this last one is a union of only two places and two different geographic locals. One is way up on the side of the valley or what is known as "The Hill", the other is down in the valley and "Route 5" proper. "The Hill" in Schenectady, and "Main Street" in Amsterdam. I have some ideas about writing more of these two cities that I grew up in.
We moved back and forth during my childhood about half a dozen times, and some friendships survived, while new ones were born in new neighborhoods. You have already sampled my East Main St. stories about Amsterdam, now perhaps I will focus for a bit on the Schenectady local. Thank you for the interest in my connection to these cities and the people in them. ~ Geez.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
author commentscribbler
Fri, 2023-10-20 16:16
Hi Geeze
This sums up what America used to be before the radicals took over.
Geezer
Sun, 2023-10-29 16:53
I agree...
I'm for progress, who isn't? So, I guess you might label me a Progressive, but I also want common sense. I don't see anyone
addressing the issues, in their election campaigns. All any of them do is bash each other, with bigger or smaller hammers.
Mallets and sledgehammers. If they spent as much time working on the problems as they do, trying to one-up each other...
Anyways, thanks for the read and comment. ~ Geez.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
author commentRoseBlack
Sun, 2023-10-29 16:13
A lot of childhood memories
On the street where we grew up. Times were different even when I was a kid. Thank you for sharing.
~RoseBlack~
Geezer
Sun, 2023-10-29 17:00
Sometimes...
I let my emotions get away and I tell things about my life that I don't mean to address directly get out; but never shy to let you know where I come from and where I've been, I don't suppose that will change. Eventually, if I live long enough, I suppose that all my emotions will be examined and my muse will leave in disgust. Kay sarah... ~ Geez.
.
There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
author commentRoseBlack
Sun, 2023-10-29 18:20
It's all good
My emotions spill out in most of my writing...some of it is controlled and others turn into chaos. I think my nurse probably left a while ago and I've been on my own for a while.
~RoseBlack~
Clentin
Tue, 2023-10-31 13:54
Great poem, reminds me of the
Great poem, reminds me of the street where I grew up. Images bring back many memorie.
Thank you
Geezer
Tue, 2023-10-31 14:33
Thank you Clentin...
As I have said; my family never stayed one place too long. A city yeah, a few times we stayed several years in one city, but rarely in one of those ramshackle flats. We moved into one after another as they wore out beneath the countless feet of generations of our clans. Interesting architecture much sought after these days. Living room doors that rolled on rollers to divide it from the rest of the house for bedroom space. Whacky neighbors, we had it all. Thanks for your comment, it means something to be able to draw memories out for someone. ~ Geez.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
author commentLeslie
Sat, 2023-11-25 09:19
Geezer
This was great but it left me wanting more detail.
Great job though!
The power of our language can and will change the world.
Successively until our languages become one!
Leslie
Sat, 2023-11-25 09:21
Geez
If you don't mind me asking, where do you live?
The power of our language can and will change the world.
Successively until our languages become one!
Geezer
Sat, 2023-11-25 12:51
I was born...
in Amsterdam, New York, moved around a bit and lived in Schenectady, [where I live now], I've lived in Albany [the state capital], hopscotched around New York, [while I was married to my first wife], bummed around with a carnival up and down the east coast, moved to Connecticut, [married again, divorced], back to New York. I have been back here for the last 43 years. ~ Geez.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
author commentLeslie
Sat, 2023-11-25 15:45
Wow...
sounds like a colorful, crazy life!
The power of our language can and will change the world.
Successively until our languages become one!
Leslie
Sat, 2023-11-25 16:04
Main St. USA
There more I read the more I liked it. It seemed as though
a lot of irony existed within your descriptions. your poem
felt fluid although it never really like you really achieved
the acceptance that you needed. Great poem none the
less.
The power of our language can and will change the world.
Successively until our languages become one!
Unca Fez
Sun, 2023-11-26 08:57
Brings Back Memories From a Five Year-Old
This one dug pretty deep in my memory barrel. It brought back memories of Rockton, IL, where my family lived until I was about 6. For whatever reason, my five year-old brain did not retain much about the people, but I still have memories of the places: "The Hub" which was the corner drugstore, including a soda fountain. The shoe store memory is of me standing in front of one of those floor mirrors looking at my new shoes and staring out the front window. The barber shop where they would put a child seat across the arms of the barber chair for me when my dad took me for a haircut. The Western Auto store that I never visited and really didn't know what it was for until much later in life. The popcorn stand where my dad would stop for popcorn on the way to the drive-in theater. Dr. Ellis's office where my sister would start crying as soon as she got in the door because she might get a shot.
Thank you for bringing these back. It's been a lot of years since I even thought about Rockton.
Thanx,
Steve
Geezer
Sun, 2023-11-26 11:44
You're welcome...
I'm glad that you got something from this. I have many memories of my childhood and younger years. I suppose that having to
move so often, made me want to remember what was, in case I didn't get any more. [Makes sense to me]. Anyway, I hope that I awakened something that was pleasant. Thank you, ~ Geez.
.
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