“Life’s But a Walking Shadow”

Darren stood that night in the swelling black

That spilled like a ponderous throw carpet

All throughout his neighborhood,

And the mess of local and chain businesses

That jutted out of this once cherished;

Now maligned side of town...

Her lips had descended upon him like a hungry rat

Before she vanished into some crater somewhere,

While his head was still spinning,

Muttering that she just wanted to know what

It would feel like to kiss him...

It was like a sped up relationship in reverse...

He'd become like a bronzed legend in this city,

Like one of those statues of war generals that

The birds did their business on

In Central Park...

A lot of the old company had dispersed

Like windblown leaves in Autumn,

But here he was still planted firmly

Beneath the shadowy ballast of time...

Tonight he sat in Casey's, tasting the bitter coffee,

And basking in the ersatz 50's decor...

He was recalling Jennifer's kiss again,

And the way the streetlights bled into the river

When he had wandered out onto the

Downtown bridge in a daze after she fled...

Gazing off in a distance from his post

He saw the giant outline of his shadow snake up

The side of the Amway Grand Plaza

That stood impressively to the right of the bridge

That was peppered with a mosaic of brightly shining

Bulbs that further enhanced his darkened replica...

Darren waved at the shadow,

And the lofty shadow's arm waved back

With what seemed like almost a

Delayed reaction time that bordered on odd...

Tomorrow he planned to pull up stakes,

And take a trip outside the confines of this burg!...

Early that next morning, Darren awoke

With a newfound obligation, and appreciation

For the narcotic that was his city...

He couldn't imagine a move;

Not with all the memories and faces that he wore

Like a bandanna around his neck,

Long into the numberless starry nights

He plunged forever like a falling star...

1/18/23

Bunny Villaire