And the octopus-arm streets
Lead me here
And lead me there
But never take me far
From this town
Whose sea-serpent limbs wrap
Themselves about ankles
Both delicate and firm
Their resolve never broken
Never blessed by the birds
Who swoop the deep
And trail their angel-feather wings
Across the water
Across the lives
Kissing the gentle waves
As they lap the shore
Like the ghost-friend visit
Of dreams
Now remembered
Now lost
And on the horizon
Ever distant
Receding like the thawing summer floes
Forgotten swallows swirl
Singing softly to ears that
Will never hear
Never feel their warmth again
Drawn ever back
Through lattice-laced skies
The tentacled paths that burn
But only in the light
And lead you home at night
At night
© All original writing copyright Chris Nelson 2000-2020
Really enjoyed this and shared it.. hope that’s alright! 🙂
https://grumpysgiftspoetry.org/2020/05/23/lead-you-home-chris-nelson/
Glad you did and thanks!
A great first line Chris, really draws you into the labyrinth.
Thanks Mark, that means a lot. Hope you and Chris are well.
Wonderful read. Love how it ends.
Thank you, B. Hope you and yours are keeping well.
We are. Thanks, Chris. Take care too.
Beautifully atmospheric and a genuine and vividly produced word-picture
Thank you for kind words, Peter, it is good to know that you found this effective. Hope you are keeping well.
Tentacle by tentacle, and very quickly, the poem gathered aspects from all directions and centred them home at night. A very good poem!
Cheers, Bruce, I love your summary of this. Glad you liked it.
Whoooaaa!! This is so good! I was immediately reminded of a town I’ve lived in off-and-on multiple times over the years.
Thanks, Tara – you know how much I admire and enjoy your writing, so your comment means a lot to me.
Yes, certainly physically, but also emotionally, I feel that we are forever dragged back to the same point, and with that realisation our horizons diminish.
Thanks again – hope you are well.
Yes!! That’s just it too…
I love the way you said that. I need like a notebook of Chris-isms to reference back to. You always make me think.
Ha, ha! I love the idea! Thanks.
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Thank you so much for this – I really appreciate it.
Once in a while I read something I should have written myself. Nicely done
Wow, thank you, I am humbled by sych a response.
Fantastic imagery throughout! Great writing!
Thank you for such a lovelt response. Delighted that you enjoyed this.