Do you

a conversation

remember how we usta sit

on the stone staircase by the liquor store

across the street from the specific ocean

late at night, ruminating and medicating

under a partly-cloudy sky?

 

how the minutes turned to hours

and the darkness into day as we toasted Shakespeare and

the power of literature,

the politics of war

and the glory of mead.

 

remember how we watched the world walk by

wondering how so many couldn’t see what was falling apart,

while our hearts thundered at

the outrage of apathy.

 

never mind our complicity

in the compromises made-

such a notion nineteen could not comprehend.

 

in the end, Time conquers and enthusiasm fades

as we take our place among the living dead. the rent is due,

the car won’t start and all that is left of youth

is the memory of the possibilities, the hopes left behind

on a stone staircase by the liquor store.   

Reviews

[emmajoygreen]

Powerful yet thoughtful truth.. no hidden thoughts here but the raw moment by moment realism that young people see before they're near forced to 'behave' or go 'overboard' . Your finish is as near a biography that a few near tragic sentences can be.

' in the end, Time conquers and enthusiasm fades
as we take our place among the living dead. the rent is due,
the car won’t start and all that is left of youth
is the memory of the possibilities, the hopes left behind
on a stone staircase by the liquor store.'

You write superbly, This was written way back.. wish you were still posting in here.

[Paul Ramnora]

Well, all I can say is at age 46, I'm still NOT quite dead, yet! As a matter of fact, I might be doing things sort of back to front; because when I was a lot younger then my life might have been a lot more dull and strict; but, now-a-days, as I grow older and older; I find myself catching up on doing all the things that I didn't do in my youth; for example, 3 months back I brought myself my 1st mountain bike-still learning how to ride it, properly-how to do no hands/so far I can only do 1 hand bike riding-and, working on understanding roads signs?! 2 months back I joined a local boxing club; and, jumped into the boxing ring with both headgear/and, gloves; needless to say, a 16 year old kid actually went and knocked me out! But, hey, I still haven't completely given up; because I frequently get back into the ring to go and spar; the way I see it is, getting a few knocks when learning boxing is all just a part and parcel of the game; so, I accept this. Furthermore, 2 or so weeks back, I brought myself my 1st Skateboard; still working out how to stay balanced on it, though; because most of the time I fall off! The point is, one is never too old to experience being young, again. Youth, is all to do with a 'state of mind'; if you tell yourself I'm far too old now; then, of course, you will quit long before you ever even got started! But, if you tell yourself 'youth lasts, quite simply, forevermore'; then, who knows what you will do, next??? Maybe, go bungee jumping...; yea, I would really and truly, like to do that!!! ;-)

[VeCeWallace]

This was a good piece. Reminds me of some people I know... LOL.But besides all that, that was really great.

[Richard Held]

Wow. You paint a remarkable color for the reader and convey your message with just the right number of words! Thank you.

[Jibey]

I like the humorous tone of this - the tongue-in-cheek mocking at self, remembering the heady days of youthful idealism, brought down to the matter of fact demands of daily life... Good read... thank you, Emily, for bringing me here

[LJW]

Unique.

I love it.

[Obsidian Blackbird McNi..]

right on, mate.
This piece made me writing jealous of you. Cheers

[Emily B]

this is absolutely one of my favorites of yours . . . funny how I always find my way back to it

[Gheeneil]

How a simple and common conversation makes a lot of sense in retrospect! This thought still holds true in the present time. There are still people who are engaging themselves into this kind of talk---mind wandering and wondering about certain things---only to find out they will soon be just another faces in the crowd who can not make the difference. The interest is forgotten and the curiosity is gone, so much like soot released by time. And then again, another set of younger minds will be tackling same line of thoughts. It's a cycle actually. Anyway, this is amazing! I like it.

[Emily B]

found my way back to this today . . . so glad I did :)

[Dustblue]

Great suffering longueur! that liquor store should be turned into a shelter for batterd poets!