Hour Eight: Small Town Gigan
Small towns dream of skyscrapers and busy streets
as the coffee perks and the usual crowd gathers for eggs and gossip.
Johnsons’ hound got into Maeve’s hens again and now there’s hell to pay.
And what’s that sky gonna do, d’ya think? Look like rain?
While Main Street runs just two blocks past the only stop sign in town.
Visions of gleaming steel, fast-talking men, fashionable women
Flash in the rearview mirror of the pickup truck as it rolls through town
To a stop at Tractor Supply to pick up some feed, check the price of seed
The local doc snatches a donut down at Murphy’s before starting his rounds
and the undertaker stares out the window, gathering his thoughts.
Small towns dream of skyscrapers and busy streets
Visions of gleaming steel, fast-talking men, fashionable women
Gleam in the wistful eyes of 15-year-old Annie as she gets off the school bus
And in the regrets of her teacher, looking over lesson plans one more time.
And while small towns dream, the big city swelters
And wonders if there’s a place where a green shade cools.
Really felt this one. Felt the isolation of a small town . . . at least, to me (a city gal). Loving the visual.
I loved this premise, and the imagery.
Very well done – and seamless use of the repeating lines!!! Created a strong sense of the small town, with a fun twist at the end. Thank you
I agree with the previous comments – loved the meandering feel of the poem as if we were also walking down the town’s streets and there is a community feeling of everyone knowing everyone. There was a new poignancy to the repeating lines when they appeared together:
‘Small towns dream of skyscrapers and busy streets
Visions of gleaming steel, fast-talking men, fashionable women’