Blustery Day In Town

Cherry

By skinner_jennifer

Tue, 22 Feb 2022
  • 2255 reads
12 comments
 

In our town so many stores stand empty,

cold as weather; some left boarded up,

only sign of life are doorways sheltering

homeless,

 

their bodies huddled from cold chills;

tangle of dirty blankets or quilts,

lost expressionless faces say it all;

appearing swallowed up by some

distant memory of times past...

before nightfall.

 

I feel North wind's frantic powerful approach,

that continuous whoosh! So intense – its angry

perilous, force like unbridled wild horses

stampeding strength.

 

Masked faces pass as I wear mine,

fine wispy strands of hair escaping

woolly hat in frenzied fashion

time after time:

 

those untamed gales of powerful chaos

leaving me to surrender receptive to this

energy, full of intensity.

 

Passing shops where once I frequented,

nature's howling winds pushing me on;

leaving town centre, at last ready for

home.

Certificate U
Poem
Poems
Travel
Nature

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

Ah that's a sad image of the homeless as they are particularly vulnerable in weather like this. You have woven in the harshness of storms with a grey, urban backdrop. Nicely done, Jenny. Paul

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

many thanks for your kind response. No this weather isn't good when you're homeless. I have no idea where these people go at night, I imagine they probably find a shelter somewhere. Some tend to hang around in the walk through tunnels, you get so used to seeing them there. I often buy them a cup of coffee with sugar, but I'm reluctant to give money just incase they use it for wrong reasons...like drugs.

Hope you are fine and not getting blown around too much. Thank you again and glad you thought the poem was fine.

Jenny

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

And then the quiet of home …! Very descriptive of being out in the wild winds. We hear of them more in Scotland than down south, don't we? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

yes, it was so good to get home. I'd been for my six monthly dentist checkup and have to walk through town to get to the bus stop. Normally I'd hang around and look in the shops, but not on this day, too blustery.

You're right they've had it much worse up in Scotland, so I suppose we should be thankful not to have it as bad here. 

Thank you so much for reading, I'm pleased you liked and thank you for letting me know.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I am so sick of this weather. Can't wait for Spring!

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I know how much you like the warmer weather and can understand your feelings. I hope the sun shines on you with some warmth sooner rather than later. cool

Many thanks for reading and also for those cherries.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

You've painted quite a cold picture of our modern towns here, the combination of the weather, the ever increasing number of empty shops, the enduring problem with homelessness and the facelessness of facemasks. I do worry about the future with the life gone out of our towns. There was a time, I would enjoy popping into town, even if just for a coffee, not now though, it's desolate and feels unsafe. 'Appearing swallowed up by some distant memory of times past' , this is brilliant, how life can swallow you up, peice by peice. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

It's so bad here in Swindon with so many shops either boarded up or closed down. We've lost Debenhams, House Of Frazer. So many fashion clothes shops, then there's the other smaller shops that are boarded up, we've even lost Sainsbury's and a butchers where I always used to shop, now it's a hair dressers. There's office buildings empty, it's awful to see. Trouble is so many people buy on line now, that the magic has gone out of shopping, like you I used to love going to town, but since lock down it's never been the same.

I have to say that I actually don't mind wearing a face mask, it certainly keeps my face warm in the cold weather, and I do feel safer around others with it on, especially when they're coughing and sneezing.

I'm glad you liked that bit about being swallowed up by the past, it does feel like that even for me.Thank you so much for your kind comment. Hope you are keeping well.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Jenny

Beautifully written, and certainly showing those who did very badly in the storms.  I wonder if church couldn't open their doors at times like this to provide basic shelter. 

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I don't know much about the church, other than they do provide shelter and warm meals during the Christmas period, but not sure about the rest of the year. I imagine they must get some help at night, otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't survive, I know I couldn't. 

I'm glad I could sum up the storms for you and appreciate you letting me know. Hope you're coping okay.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by jxmartin on

The blended imagery, of old and worn out bldgs, with the visage of poor and blighted souls, relegated to being old and worn out, works. The gray and life-worn countenance is like a weight upon the soul of those observing both. One wonders what vibrant past both species had experienced. The memories of both are probably rich and full of life, until they weren't any longer.

Good piece, Jen.

JXM

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

you grasped exactly what I was trying to say in this poem. Like you say the buildings that have stood the test of time, right up until lockdown have such a history. Like those buildings the homeless too have a history of their own which makes it all more relevant.

Thank you very much for stopping by to read and leave such an understanding comment, very much appreciated.

Jenny.