The Second Coming

[miyako73]

I did stop counting three or four years ago
How many times I have been here checking in,
In this metal-numbered place, inside this room
Of the motel, seventies-old and lit with neon,
Across from the busiest Chevron gas station,
Three blocks from the green store, 7-Eleven,
Where skinny junkies get their fix and juices,
Where drunks wobble and empty their guts,
Where bums, Vietnam veterans, ask for coins,
Where I buy rubbers--thickly lubed and on sale.


Unlike with Oscar, the wall paper, flowery purple,
Is no longer a sore to my mascara-tinted eyes,
Nor are the cement floor, waxed and cold in April,
The dusty wooden furniture from Goodwill stores,
The headless bed--iron and rusty--screeching,
The shaded lamp that grays the empty corners,
The powdery ceiling of rain stains and black holes
That look like from indoor termites, from insects
Gluttonous at night, voracious on hot seasons
Or from fingers that probe all crevices and leaks.


On the side table lies alone the Bible, King James,
I have browsed many times--first when I was high,
And the last one, when I read Revelation by John,
The scary prophecy about the whore and the beast
I always think about when lying down still and naked,
When watching the giant ant crawl around my belly,
The nocturnal bed bug, the vampire on my pale skin,
Bite my numb shoulder, drain my musk-scented thighs,
While waiting for the apocalypse, his second coming,
To get dressed, leave, and pay my last month’s rent.

[Jerrybaldy]

Enjoyed very much. It doesn't need the disclaimer, its the writers story and you are the writer.
I liked your relentless descriptions and I'm a sucker for the dark side of Americana.
cheers miyako

[hillwalker]

A suitably Gothic look at the underbelly of Amerika.

I stumbled at line 3 of verse 2 - 'So are the cement floor. . .'. You don't tell us what they 'are' so the line ends up suspended above a gaping nothingness.

Otherwise this is up to your usual high standards.

H

[miyako73]

Thanks, Hill.

I thought of using "so do the cement floor..." but I didn't like how it sounded. Then I googled to find out if a transitive verb (hurts) in the first sentence can be followed by a linking verb (are) in the second in relation to the use of conjunction "so", and I found the sentence below, but it was written by a law professor. hehehehe. I wonder if it is an accepted syntax in the US. If not, I'll use "so do"

"As the Cyprus Turns like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives"

[Jerrybaldy]

I wouldnt pretend to have the kudos of mr Hill, but I commented too.

[Scheherazade]

Decided to read a poem on the Forum after a long while, Miyako, and I am very glad that I picked yours. The breastless description leading to the punch line right at the end is quite something. Thanks for sharing this here.

Like Hill, I have a problem with "So are..." but I think, owing to the negative in the previous like, the meaning would be clear by changing it to "Nor are..."

Also, since the title reads "The Second Coming", I feel it might be a good idea to use "the" rather than "his" in the penultimate line as well. Your meaning is very clear so you needn't worry about emphasizing the "he" there.

I would like to know about "Oscar".

[miyako73]

Thanks, Sche. I think "nor are" is the right match.

Oscar can be Wilde or the "John".

Not sure if this is exactly what Oscar Wilde said:

"The wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go".

or

"This wallpaper will be the death of me - one of us will have to go"

Oh, Jerry. Sorry. Thanks for the comment. I didn't mean to ignore you. My mind is everywhere these days but finding nothing.

[Scheherazade]

Of course, you realise, we both overlooked the subject-verb agreement with 'nor are'. Unless you want to change it to 'floors', it should be 'nor is'.

One should not handle grammar after midnight! ;)

I am familiar with the Wilde quote but hand't made the connection. Nice touch and thanks for explaining.

[miyako73]

"are" is correct because it's a series of things.

Nor are (the cement floor), waxed and cold in April,
(The dusty wooden furniture) from Goodwill stores,
(The headless bed)--iron and rusty--screeching,

[Scheherazade]

"are" is correct because it's a series of things. Yes, of course. I see your point.

(Maybe one should not handle grammar first thing in the morning!)

[AuntShecky]

Even though Oscar Wilde was the source of a multitude of pithy witticisms, the person whose last words were "Either that wallpaper goes, or I do" was Ronald Firbank.