Thursday, December 15, 2011

The Rat Race

Image:1  The evening rush hour
(Picture Credit: Google images)


Just Another Day!


Note: This is not a lullabye a carol nor a ballad as asked for in the prompt. The word lullabye is in the poem not quite legitimizing it though. 

Brightness fading at the horizon by the seconds
Glowing yellow to golden hues mystically transforms
End of day a precursor to myriads of happenings
Staging a madness on the road, hurrying home surging
To avoid the imminent rush, sweaty and angry
Hordes of man and machines clogging the highway

While one comes slowly to an end another is to begin
Noisy  hawkers and  pretty butterflies of the night swarming
Of couples at leisure  scouring for places to wine and dine
Leading his spouse and brood for dinner  the family man
The young at heart at the hotspots in raucous splendor
The young layabouts  with their mean machines of terror

House-breakers working their moves when they please
The law enforcers just as ready armed with their expertise
The people movers bidding their fares ferrying the crowd
Of tourists, service personnel, traders, shoppers and the lot
The youngsters to chat, glued to FB, YouTube till wee hours
Mothers seeing to home-work or singing  a lullabye, engrossed
Fathers computer engaged over business matters poring
The law abiding  by the idiot box resigned to a sane evening

Preceding  the night to begin a new day in anticipation
A sedentary existence reflecting the lifestyle of the generation

Submitted to d'Verse Forms for All  and
Grandma's Goulash Weekend Writer's Retreat #50

24 comments:

  1. nice...everyone has there own thing once the lights go down...disappearing into their own worlds...intersting you touched on many different ones even the house breakers...nice hank...

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  2. Brian - Thanks, it makes the world go round!

    Hank

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  3. An excellent post many issues touched.Loved the read Hank.

    Yvonne.

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  4. Great one. You've conveyed the atmosphere very well indeed. It makes me want to visit.

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  5. u left nothing...
    it was so detailed observation n very nicely u narrated... i was clearly able to visualize "Just another night"

    Awesome as ever !!!

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  6. Hank- You have captured the spectrum of night life. Lullaby works for me.

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  7. Yes, Hank, the night has so many moods; and so much is going on, both positive and negative. I felt as if I was right with you in this poem observing the surroundings. Nice!

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  8. Truly captured the night
    And each one having their own plight
    Observe and report
    Here at your court
    Some things can be a fright

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  9. Yvonne - Thanks, yes, lots of goings-on

    Dave - Fun when it lasted. Join them at their own game!

    Jyoti - Just another Day and Just another Night, how nice!

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  10. Laurie - Appreciate the acceptance of lullaby

    Mary - It is fun and games to be there!

    Pat - Great limerick!


    Hank

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  11. Perfect description of the rat race which i do not miss at all esp rush hour traffic!

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  12. Yep, the word might be in there, but this is not a lullaby.

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  13. I really enjoyed this, Hank. And it reminded me of the joys of no long having to communte. Although there was a certain comfort in the routine, as you told it.

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  14. I love the way you pack so much into this one--like that 'staging a madness on the road' a lot, and your images are all true to life and well set out. The ending is tongue in cheek, but all too true. Enjoyed it, Hank.

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  15. Hank, I LOVE your take on the lullaby. The change-up is not just for baseball... you really went to town (literally and figuratively) on this one. Great work! Amy
    http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/too-close-no-comfort/

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  16. Sheila - You can say that again! No rush for me!

    Alice - Yes not one! I made adjustments so as not to miss d'Verse

    Talon - Thanks Ma'am

    Victoria - Avoid the jam as far as possible, that's wise

    Hank

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  17. Joy - Thanks Ma'am! Sometimes I feel sad having to see the crowd inching their way back home after office. Glad I've no more of that!

    Amy - Couldn't forget what we went through before.Now the pace is even faster with cyberspace in our life.

    Hank

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  18. you sure depicted a full spectrum of modern man in his nighttime environment

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  19. zongrik - it gave insights to difficult moments that I faced before.

    Hank

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  20. You have invoked images of a city that could be anywhere in the world, Hank. This, whether we like it or not, is modern life. Good work!
    K

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  21. Kay,
    That's right! Modern living it is!

    Hank

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  22. Very evocative. Your opening lines made me see eight years of Atlanta's rush hours very clearly!

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