Seattle

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SEATTLE 1964

Seattle,
place of thunder,
place of mist and fog and rain;
crouching, nestling, hugging,
and sprawling large.
Place of secrets,
city with the scarred face;
metropolis, terminus, gateway.

Ancient abode of the whale hunter,
place where the sea bass meets
the rainbow trout,
where salt lies on lily pads.
City with the barrel chest,
gilded queen,
woman with a million lovers,
whore, old maid,
voluptuous, shameless, enchanting, bewitching, mesmerizing trollop.

Home for hobos,
furnace cave of fire-ice darkness.
Place of depravity, sin, debauchery, prostitution, rape, murder, mayhem,
and churches;
tall saintly spires that crop up
like crabgrass.
University den,
cackling hen,
cherishing and nourishing
her eggheads.

Fair hostess to the world,
retainer of toys
and space needles.
City of moss
and mud puddles,
host to cockroaches, silverfish, rats, and men.

Grifter, con artist, tourist trap, sultry siren,
Jessabel, madonna, frivolous flirt,
beautiful bitch.

Boating capitol,
port to a thousand thousand boats,
and hardy fishermen,
wharf for the weary.

Place of great belching factories,
maker of smog,
builder of war machines;
prolific beast.

Rival to all seven-hilled cities.
Place of my birth,
possessor of my soul;
my first love
and mistress.
I embrace you,
my city.

Glenn Buttkus March 1964