Pleasantville

image by kat mortensen

pleasantville


do we
live in color or black & white?

unlike classics in the hands of Ted Turner
it's a choice and honestly
i like the detail of the second
unless of course, this is a metaphor

then i'd rather shadow & shade,
where dark & light mix
in a living colour slow dance,
as there is seldom two sides
& to jump is no option
if you read the signs

(& i so want to sing Five Man Electrical Band
here, but)

we're walking, this boy & i
across the bridge between downtown & Percivel's Island
a railway converted to walking path, passage
over the James, & pass a soiled, discarded
teddy bear, a matted lump of discolored hair,
some kid dropped or---

we pay it
no mind, as we walk on & talk, life &
as we make our way back, an hour later, a girl
barefoot on the old railroad ties
worn with dirt herself, in a faded Goodwill sun dress
stares out along the water
hugging the bear

the last of the day glints the tears in her eyes
& behind her the lights of the city
give way to night,
pale in comparison---

♪ signs, signs, everywhere there's signs...
do this don't do that
can't you read the signs ♪


Brian Miller

Posted over on his site Way Station One
Listed as #27 over on dVerse Poets-OLN37