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never had it so good!
standing at the crossroads
been told one needed to be led in
much like being seated at a restaurant
the respect accorded professed at a height
none were rebuffed nor needed to recoil
led in with pomp and pageantry
profusion of love
where once a beggar scrubbed clean
led in with respect pristine with fine clothes
garbed as others before him
sparkles of smiles from everyone
greeted with passion
who did we have here
wherefore the crowd
a school ma’am alongside the cheeky girl
holding hands intently
so did the peasant and ferocious landowner
docile as a circus lion now standing together
the shrewd money-lender
slave-driver and office head-banger
the politicians and contractors
the classic duo of exploiters
the torturer and even the cruel step-mother
all in a chorus welcoming new entrants
into the City of Luxuriant Smiles
forgetting the woes of the wicked world
of wars and destruction
of traumatic faces of the deprived
of those raising tension and violence
to push sales of their wares
the treasonous crowd out there
if only they were in the City
never had it so good!
For Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's
Sunday's Mini Challenge - in other words and
Mary's at Poets United's Poetry Pantry #235
For Kerry's hosting at Real Toad's
Sunday's Mini Challenge - in other words and
Mary's at Poets United's Poetry Pantry #235
Maybe there is a price behind any smile...what a clever and thoughtful write Hank
ReplyDeletethe City of Luxuriant Smiles.... what a place...eh... and if you look a bit closer the smiles peel off like old paint..
ReplyDeleteSmiles -- they can hide so much. Luxuriant, it's often even worse.. painted as a cover up.
ReplyDeleteI really like the list if contrasting characters as they harmonize in the crowd.
ReplyDeleteSo much life and expectation, a place within the walls of anticipation.
ReplyDeletei wish they weren't wearing masks. as they say, smile is the most important thing you wear everyday.
ReplyDeleteCity of Luxuriant Smiles sounds like quite a fascinating place with its collection of people!
ReplyDeletethose smiles do not come cheap...and neither does life in the city.....it chews up as many as it lets survive it....
ReplyDeletemaybe hope for people to ignore their difference... if genuine
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative title, like an ad full of deception of wicked world ~
ReplyDeleteA smile can be many a thing, hardly ever real and easily faked as $$$ wins the day
ReplyDeleteSmile does a lot of wonders to the one giving it and to the receiver, generally impacting the world. :)
ReplyDeleteWe can likely hope for a place like that, but who needs what when we can effortlessly make one with the abundant smiles we naturally have.
ReplyDelete- ksm
it has to be a great place, where you can escape from the conflicts of our world. a hopeful representation of an ideal world... and yet saddening because it is not much probable. I loved how you brought everyone together in this city, where everyone can start anew. Well-penned.
ReplyDelete-HA
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ReplyDeleteQuite a vision, Kerry and stimulating read - thank you so much... With Best Wishes Scott www.scotthastie.com
ReplyDeleteThis is very clever, Hank. I LOVE the title, and the idea of a place where such unlikely people hold hands. I wonder how long they'd remain benign, once the smiles came off. Good one, Hank!
ReplyDeleteOh, how delightful that sounds!
ReplyDeleteWhew! I think you covered it all.
ReplyDeleteZQ
I like the cityscape to some degree, but I also enjoy a little mixture of nature too. There is a good story being told in this poem that covers both of these ideas. Nature and the city should live in perfect harmony.
ReplyDeleteWonderful write. The City of Smiles sounds like a great place to visit!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the appreciative tone in this piece. A delight to read and encouragement too.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem, a smiles is great.
ReplyDeleteI smiled the whole time I read this. So we might not have an entire city of smiles, but there is a huge grin in New York City. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a dream, a city of smiles. I would love to go there.
ReplyDeleteSmiles- so deceptive and so alluring
ReplyDeleteA smile begins in the eyes = thats where the mask comes off. Nice
ReplyDeleteAs SuyashJ says... it sounds so great but the people you mention, oooh
ReplyDeleteIf only...
ReplyDeleteNice!