The Setting of The Sun

It wasn’t 1968,
the worst year in our nation’s history.
It was 1978 and one of the worst in mine...
The assassination and rebirth of all
things holy in my days.

I hope I will never forget
standing on a porch that I was assigned to sweep
each morning,
skinny kid clinging to a broomstick
as if it were a holy staff infused with wisdom.
Searing pain lay across my shoulders like a summer heat wave
melting my will and bending me into the shape of submission.

A misplaced pale skinned reject
amidst street wise cursing mothers
of the dark faced damned.
I stood out like taffy in a box of chocolates
until we all melted and blended into one...
We were no different beneath our skin
and my children had been ripped from me too
and I had a man that was lying between another woman’s thighs.
So sorrow reflected in each others eyes,
we were all damned before we were redeemed.

And I set the table at 6pm
Because it was my duty;
a star on their board of success,
some test I needed to pass
Like sweeping the porch with the rising sun,
draining wisdom from my staff....you laugh?
But I did,
being cunning enough to comply before I could fly,

I did them both and so much more
I can’t tell you about,
did them because I needed to for 150 days
in ‘78 until my job was done,

I hope I never forget the setting of the sun.

Reviews

[J. Hampton]

I came through your page to have a read...and was drawn to this piece for some reason...

what an absolutely fab...piece !!
Intriguing ...I just wanted to sop up ...every morsel I was givin...
rich in similie and metaphor ( some of the best and atypical ) I've seen in some time now

when a piece moves me to want "more" ...that is "good writing"
may I ask more of this experience....? I am so intrigue by this piece

Blessssssssssss

[Justin Tobey]

This is wonderful! It really brought a sense of the past to me, and it was sad and written with amazing storytelling ability. I'm glad I decided to read some of your stuff! Thanks for sharing!

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YOU ARE INCREDIBLE. This poem take me back to my younger days ... oh say 1975. Yup.

This line:

"I hope I will never forget
standing on a porch that I was assigned to sweep
each morning,
skinny kid clinging to a broomstick
as if it were a holy staff infused with wisdom."

This IS where some of your wisdom came from. I know. GOOD JOB!