Driving Through Downtown Sacramento At 3 A.m. Thinking About Our Poems
The city is shivering, empty,
and looks like a model
of another city far away;
somewhere we will never go.
Rainy streets slip by, lights
flash yellow; caution! The river
is black, dimpled, and we ask -
What is this Forever anyway?
But the river doesn't answer,
and the city doesn't answer -
all of this is in our head.
All of this is in our poem.
poem by James Lee Jobe
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Another Rainy Day In New York City
Another rainy day in new york city
Softly sweet, so silently it falls
As crosstown traffic crawls
Memories in my way in new york city
Tender, tough, too tragic to be true
And nothing I can do
City workers cheer
The taxis disappear
Another rainy day in new york city
Another spacey stay in new york city
High up in an overpriced hotel
The view is really swell
Windy, wet and gray in new york city
No one here I really want to see
Old friends and family
So suddenly serene
The air is fresh and clean
Another rainy day in new york city
Its another rainy day
Just a rainy, rainy day
Its another rainy day
Just a rainy, rainy day
song performed by by Chicago
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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City Lights
Dont these city lights
Light these streets to life
Dont these crazy nights
Bring us together
Any rainy day
You can dance those blues away
Dont these city lights
Bring us together
Charlie chaplins cane
Well it flicked away the rain
Things werent quite the same
After he came here
But then when he left
Upon our own request
Things werent quite the same
After he came here
Dont these city lights
Bring the streets to life
Dont these crazy nights
Bring us together
Any rainy day
You can dance those blues away
Dont these city lights
Bring us together
Were supposed to be
A land of liberty
And those city lights
To blaze forever
But that little tramp
Leaning on that street corner lamp
When he left us
His humor left forever
Were supposed to be
A land of liberty
And those city lights
To blaze forever
But that little tramp
Leaning on that street corner lamp
When he left us
His humor left us forever, ever
Dont these city lights
Bring the streets to life
Dont these crazy nights
Bring us together
Any rainy day
You can dance those blues away
Dont these city lights
Bring us together
Together
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tale of Three Cities
New York blasted London blasted
Singapore -
Ripped off each other's metaphoric balls,
Crumbling walls.
Priapic city monoliths -
Blue-sky scraping bastards -
Shout about their height (but really length) .
V8 arseholes didn't care -
Pumping shit into the air,
So long as they were always there to
Fart aloud a smoggy cloud,
Laughing at the weak asthmatic,
Humoured that it seems traumatic.
Watch the greedy cities oozing
Chair-bound fat committees, though they
Look a bunch of titties as they
Waffle on about the pound.
Ever thought to look around and see
That they were dead?
Copyright © Mark R Slaughter 2010
city city city city city city
city city city city city city
city city city city city city
city city city city city city
city city city city city city
city city city city city city
poem by Mark R Slaughter
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City Streets
The gaudy glow of neon lights
dispels the darkness of the nights
on city streets.
They pop and fizzle noisily
creating a cacophony
on city streets.
The sober folks walk warily
and drunks stagger uncaringly
on city streets.
The ladies of the night parade
for there is money to be made
on city streets.
Drug dealers ready to retreat
if they should hear a coppers feet
on city streets.
The night shift workers wend their way
towards their work to start their day
on city streets.
The noisy revellers thin out
as one by one the signs go out
on city streets.
The gradually noises abate
and ghostly shadow congregate
on city streets.
For some few hours peace will reign
before the noise will start again
on city streets.
The early morning traffic sounds
start with the milkmen on their rounds
on city streets.
This builds up to an angry roar
as cars and lorries inward pour
on city streets
then when at last rush hour has passed
noise levels will subside at last
on city streets
I thank the lord that I am free
to leave this noise far behind me
on city streets.
I walked my beat the whole night
through exactly as I’m paid to do
on city streets.
I choose to live outside the town
where constant noise won’t get me down
on city streets.
My village is a quiet place
A haven where I need not face
the noisy streets.
8-Jun-07
poeticpiers
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
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The Eternal Kansas City
Chorus (choir singing)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city? )
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city? (do you know the way to kansas city)?
(van singing)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Train down to st. louis
Get me there alright
Over to the city there, you know that one
Where the farmers daughter digs the farmers son
Dig your charlie parker
Basie and young
Witherspoon and jay mcshann
They will come
Oooowoooowoooo
Chorus (van and choir in background)
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Excuse me do you know the way to kansas city?
Lady liberty in waiting
You know she lights the way
Her name is billie, shes a holiday
And the city is eternal -- hey, cant you see?
Its inside of you and its inside of me
Oooowoooowoooo
Chorus (van and choir in background)
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city?
You know, you know the way to kansas city ?
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
Wild thing
You know the way to kansas city (choir only)
Thank you man (van)
You know the way to kansas city
Sing it (van)
You know the way to kansas city (van and choir)
Hit it (van)
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
You know...the way to kansas city
Baby cant you sing it one time (van)
(choir)
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
You know the way to kansas city
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Big City Type
I woke up in a big city apartment
Rode to a big city job
On a big city subway
With hip, big city people
Worked at a big city job
In a big city skyscraper
Stood in a big city line
For lunch, heard big city jazz
On a big city radio station
It was like a big city scene
In a big budget movie
When I realized I had become
The big city type
I always wanted to be
Yet I was still me
poem by Adam Artois
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Cooum
Near the cinema
Stripping women
Of their souls
The river quietly breathes
Stoic like a saint
Though dying of the city's sins
On the bridge the harlot
Too weary to walk the streets
Stands staring at the waters
Mourning the river
She had lost in her hamlet
Where it skipped like a girl
Without a care
Frothing foaming giggling
Unlike the river here
Dying of the city's sins
poem by Prabhakar Subramaniam
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Ghostown
i live in this ghostown
the whispers from the walls fall like feathers to the ground
i walk upon these cemetary streets
and i don't speak the language of the skeletons that i meet
i live in this ghostown
the acid from the architecture is burning the place down
i wander through these solitary streets
they're empty as an afterthought in purple pools of gasoline
the river's all in flames
i can't go home again
this city speaks in rain
i live in this ghostown
the coffee burns like kerosene and the color of my world is brown
i look out on these melancholy streets
it's quiet as a photograph and lonley as my vanity
the river's all in flames
i can't go home again
this city's rearranged
i'm never going to leave this ghostown
song performed by by Zox
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cities
(david byrne)think of london - small city
Dark - dark in the daytime
People sleep - sleep in the daytime
If they want to - if they want to
Im checkin em out
Im checkin em out
Ive got it figured out
Ive got it figured out
Theres some good points - some bad points
But it all works out - Im just a little freaked out
Find your city -
Find yourself a city to live in
I will find a city -
Find yourself a city to live in
A lot of bridges in birmingham
A lot of ghosts - and a lot of houses
Look over there - dry ice factory
Good place to get some thinking done
Im checkin em out
Im checkin em out
Ive got it figured out
Im the one who got it figured out
Theres some good points - some bad points
Find your city -
Find yourself a city to live in
I will find a city -
Find yourself a city to live in
Did I forget to mention -
Forget to mention memphish
Home of elvis and the ancient greeks
Do I smell - I smell home cooking
Its only the river - its only the river
Im checkin em out
Im checkin em out
Ive got it figured out
Ive got it figured out
Theres some good points - some bad points
Are those things real? denied!
Find your city -
Find yourself a city to live in
I will find a city -
Find yourself a city to live in
I will find a city -
Find yourself a city to live in
I will find a city
Find yourself a city to live in
song performed by by Phish
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tiger
The city is a jungle, you better take care
Never walk alone after midnight
If you dont believe it you better beware
Of me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a nightmare, a horrible dream
Some of us will dream it forever
Look around the corner and try not to scream
Its me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
The city is a prison, you never escape
Youre forever trapped in the alleys
Look into the shadows and youll see the shape
Of me
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
Yellow eyes are glowing like the neon lights
Yellow eyes, the spotlights of the city nights
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
People who fear me never go near me, I am the tiger
And if I meet you, what if I eat you, I am the tiger
I am behind you, Ill always find you, I am the tiger
Tiger, tiger, tiger!
song performed by by ABBA
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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City Of Ships
CITY of ships!
(O the black ships! O the fierce ships!
O the beautiful, sharp-bow'd steam-ships and sail-ships!)
City of the world! (for all races are here;
All the lands of the earth make contributions here;)
City of the sea! city of hurried and glittering tides!
City whose gleeful tides continually rush or recede, whirling in and
out, with eddies and foam!
City of wharves and stores! city of tall façades of marble and iron!
Proud and passionate city! mettlesome, mad, extravagant city!
Spring up, O city! not for peace alone, but be indeed yourself,
warlike! 10
Fear not! submit to no models but your own, O city!
Behold me! incarnate me, as I have incarnated you!
I have rejected nothing you offer'd me--whom you adopted, I have
adopted;
Good or bad, I never question you--I love all--I do not condemn
anything;
I chant and celebrate all that is yours--yet peace no more;
In peace I chanted peace, but now the drum of war is mine;
War, red war, is my song through your streets, O city!
poem by Walt Whitman
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From This City I Want To Escape (Free Verse Quatern)
From this city I want to flee,
to find a place of some solace,
not again I want to return,
where city lights sometimes blind people.
I still think about how it was,
from this city I want to flee,
I cannot fit in this anthill,
a bridge to escape, I must find.
The city makes me uneasy,
I want to wander on the beach,
from this city I want to flee,
I want to vanish by bus or train.
Now I splash in a city stream,
at times are in the open air,
about freedom I can just dream,
from this city I want to flee.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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America, America!
I am a poet of the Hudson River and the heights above it,
the lights, the stars, and the bridges
I am also by self-appointment the laureate of the Atlantic
-of the peoples' hearts, crossing it
to new America.
I am burdened with the truck and chimera, hope,
acquired in the sweating sick-excited passage
in steerage, strange and estranged
Hence I must descry and describe the kingdom of emotion.
For I am a poet of the kindergarten (in the city)
and the cemetery (in the city)
And rapture and ragtime and also the secret city in the
heart and mind
This is the song of the natural city self in the 20th century.
It is true but only partly true that a city is a "tyranny of
numbers"
(This is the chant of the urban metropolitan and
metaphysical self
After the first two World Wars of the 20th century)
--- This is the city self, looking from window to lighted
window
When the squares and checks of faintly yellow light
Shine at night, upon a huge dim board and slab-like tombs,
Hiding many lives. It is the city consciousness
Which sees and says: more: more and more: always more.
poem by Delmore Schwartz
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New York City Rhythm
Words by Marty Panzer
Music by Barry Manilow
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When my heart is torn apart
by love I wish I had,
Well, I spend my nights in the city's lights
and things don't seem so bad.
Ya know the movement seems to soothe me,
and the temp takes control,
and I lose my blues
when the Ne w York City rhythm fill my soul;
it's the New York City rhythm runnin' thru' my life,
the pounding beat of the city streets
that keeps mydreams alive.
I'm lost, I'm found, I'm up, I'm down,
but somehow I survive.
It's got to be the New Y ork City rhythm in my life,
It's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life,
in my life.
When I'm out for love or sin,
Oh, it's good to be in town,
In the funky dives on the old west sid
there's always somethin' goin' down.
Oh yes , I live my life with strangers,
and the danger's always there,
but when I hit Broadway and it's time to play,
ya know that I don't care;
It's the New York City rhythm runnin' thru my life,
the poundin' beat of the city streets
that kee ps my dreams alive.
I'm lost, I'm found, I'm up, I'm down, ,
but somehow I survive.
It's got to be the New York City rhythm in my life,
in my life.
City rhythm, oo city rhythm.
song performed by by Barry Manilow
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Still Love the City, But the City Doesn't Love Me
Some have told me the city will ruin me
Some said the city is an ugly place
The city has marred better men than me
I hadn’t lived in the city for quite some time,
But living there again was an amazing experience
The city glowed with a dazzling beauty,
Pumping a vitality in my veins
Through my heart, an exuberant,
Youthful feeling of excitement
I let the city have my heart.
I thought the city gave me hers.
This love was not meant to last.
I had to leave the city for a little while.
The city couldn’t handle the distance,
Provoking the city to eject me from
The city’s heart, ripping and tearing
Until I was only a memory, a fling
So I left the city in search of a new life.
I found myself alone in the desert.
I convinced myself the city was only
A memory locked away
The days were sweltering and arduous,
The nights were frigid and excruciating
These times were spent alone, in silence
Where almost no life is sustainable,
And I ignored the ghosts which
Maliciously brought about vibrant,
Heartwarming thoughts of the city
I turned North, the city far passed
The horizon, though its glimmer
Reaches me still
Its lights do nothing but illuminate
The darkness this desert has
Brought into my heart
And the damage my lungs have
Sustained as they drown in my
Quiet tears
In this moment, I unleashed
An ugly, primal scream
From the depths of my marred soul,
The waves traveling through miles of
Nothingness
It was then when I realized
I still love the city.
But the city doesn’t love me.
poem by Alex Gomez
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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City Lights
Oh oh I feel the city rhythm
Oh oh I love those city lights
But when the sun comes up
And the partys over
I dont care Im coming back tonight
To the bright city lights
Home from work got your money in your pocket
Pull on your boots brand new suit
If you had the chance youd hock it
For a night on the tiles
And a shot of midnight fever
Get off your back get on the track
Tune in your receiver oh oh
Oh oh I feel the city rhythm
Oh oh I love those city lights
But when the sun comes up
And the partys over
I dont care Im coming back tonight
To the bright city lights
Truck down the street feeling kinda funky
Get on the beat shuffle your feet
Never know you might get lucky
You got love on the brain
Flashing like a neon
Feed 'em a line
Give 'em a sign
Theyre looking for a come on oh oh
Oh oh I feel the city rhythm
Oh oh I love those city lights
But when the sun comes up
And the partys over
I dont care Im coming back tonight
To the bright city lights
No way to stop when the musics in your body
Into the night feel all right
No time for feeling sorry
You go down to the club
With the old familiar faces
Buy 'em a drink kick up a stink
Everybodys going crazy oh oh
Oh oh I feel the city rhythm
Oh oh I love those city lights
But when the sun comes up
And the partys over
I dont care Im coming back tonight
To the bright city lights
To the bright city lights
To the bright city lights
To the bright city lights
Oh I love those city lights
song performed by by 10 Cc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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City Boy Blues
Fireflies in dogfights
Runnin hot in the heat
Street noise, another bribe
Things too hard to believe--so head out
My hearts in the country
My feets in the city with you
All my friends are eatin sushi
Talkin bad about you know who-who-who
My tongues talkin riddles
But I just cant seem to find a clue
So I take a swig of whiskey
And jump into the saddle with you-you-you
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
Cats in the alley
Rats in my snakeskin boots
All my neighbors think Im crazy
And my girl thinks Im losin my cool-cool-cool
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
I got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
Dont look to jesus to change your seasons
Its the american dream
Souls of gypsies, road of stone
Cant seem to find no peace--so head out
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the blues, I got the blues, got the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
And I just cant seem to break the shackles of the city boy blues
I got the blues, I got the blues,
I got the blues, I got the blues
I got the blues, I got the blues,
I got the blues, I got the blues
song performed by by Motley Crue
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Goodbye, City of Blinding Lights
Goodbye, City of Blinding Lights
You never were my friend
I was born to you, my sweetheart but
You'll never see my end
Goodbye, City of Blinding Lights
I never will forget
Your plastic hearts, your hair-styled queens
They linger in my head
Goodbye, City of Blinding Lights
You'll not blind me again
Now, I was caught up'n your beauty
For these sins I must repent
Goodbye, City of Blinding Lights
I leave you not for God
I leave you not for work, for sport
It's'cause everyone else cannot
poem by Matt Pocock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Quiz Poem #4: World City
The city bears the name of a goddess with an owl near,
And she assisted Jason, Heracles and others of old.
She's sometimes seen with helmet, shield or spear,
This matronly, patronly, petrified leader is quite bold.
[Brother Jonathan Gardner]
Copyright © ®2008, Brother Jonathan Gardner. All rights reserved.
Notes:
Okay, did you get the city's name? There are five poems that form a 'quiz poem: world city' in which you have to guess the capital city from anywhere in the world! Easy huh? Once you've got the city's name (or even if you have all five) just email me. It's for fun!
Do email answers rather than put them here as a comment, as that'll spoil it for others. So far the response has been good. Let me know if you like the idea - even if you haven't got the answer or don't want to take part.
poem by Brother Jonathan Gardner
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Poem Written By The Other Woman
i am not asking you to answer
me with
i love you too
empty words, i do not need empty words
i am a practical woman
needing proof:
a Chevrolet 2010 model car and a house and lot in the city
do not say it. show it.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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