Purgatory Inn and no place to go.

Old memories get better with time.

                           






















 Purgatory Inn and no place to go.

I have the long Island ice tea fresh and cold.
Bartender keep them coming.
They love the big tippers.
Purgatory Inn is open early and closes late.
Safe place for a man who wants nothing.

I roll the simple purple stone in my hand.
An old souvenir from a old war.
A purple crystal given to me by a kind memory.
Now feeling like a brick.
So heavy with sadness and loss.

I hold the necklace like a rare stone. 
The necklace is pretty worthless in value.
Except to my heart and memory.
I remember when a beautiful red haired girl took the necklace
off my neck. Put it on around her  neck. Promised me forever.
Then wrapped her body around me.
She whispered. "Live with me and be my love."

Blind obsession led me into the splendor of passion and desire.
With trembling steps of emotion and hunger. Walls of fear fell away and
we became one.

Love is like a Rose. It will rise then fall.
The rose will rebirth if we are lucky and overcome memories and pain.

The mystery of love is for the few to understand.
Love will die and rise many times in a lifetime.
My blue eyed beauty kissed me. Put my necklace of stone in my hands.
I watched my blue eyes girl walk away.
I wanted war and travel and she wanted real life and babies.

I found a strange peace in the Purgatory Inn.
No-one asked questions. No-body wanted too much.
I have many good memories to keep me safe and protected.

I offered the necklace back to my red haired girl.
She told me to keep the purple crystal. Hold it for her.
For somehow she knew the necklace is the only thing I would hold
precious in the darkness of the tavern and time. 

I have been to hell and back.
Funny the bad memories are erased by the thoughts of a red hair beauty.
Whispering "I love you my wandering soldier."

                                  Coyote
                              1992/2012

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

another really strong write in content...emotionally absorbing...here are some corrections that will smooth it out.

second stanza..."an old souvenir from an old war"
third stanza..."I remember when a beautiful red haired girl took the necklace"
next line..."promised me forever"
stanza six..."I watched my blue eyed girl walk away"

really love the next line...so real life.

next stanza..."No-one asked questions. No-body wanted too much"

next to last line "red haired beauty"

would smooth it out to correct those mistakes...

your content is sublime.

jacob

[Judas Hammer]

We have all been to this Inn. I found this story flowed weel and had great images, The words were nice and easy on the mind. Great write, thanks for sharing my friend

[joshua deathdealer]

Love is like a rose. It blossom's and then it dies. The mystery of love. Who knows. I like the wandering feel and the end of this poem. Excellent work.

[Nicole]

I love this one. This is probably one of my favorite of your works. The last sentence just gave me the chills!!

[Scottlehem]

A nice piece of poetry that a score is home and a picture indeed. While there'd be those that would be out dancing to the oldies and drinking punch to David Bowie's "Changes", they could be elsewhere discussing if the green-eyed lady was an alien. "Whatever your pleasure" and "Good Night and Good Luck".

[Neva Flores - Changeful..]

Coyote, you captured my heart with this one......so beautifully you have written this heartbreaking story.

[storiestotell]

I love the story this poem tells. Even though it's said, I can feel the peace that is found within the inn, and the wonderful memories the necklace holds.

[Cascara (aka Sprint Goe..]

awwwwwww...

...it must have been a deep love you've felt with this girl

[kingblaq]

Great poetic story

[Day]

this is beautiful. I think it could flow better if some punctuation was adjusted (the periods at the end of lines) and a couple of places where "a" should be changed to "an" (an old souvenir from an old war*) but I very much enjoy this story, great imagery and emotion evoked.

[writing mojo]

great poetic story! the symbolism and flow is conveyed well in the scene. You paint with a simple edge yet in depth with a feeling of drying out at this Purgatory Inn. the pallet as inner voice never ends...good stuff