Thursday, March 8, 2012

Seattle's Underground Tour...


 Shared for the first time today with: http:One Single Impression



Past years tumble forth
buildings beneath sea level
History unclothed
Guides lead you down stairs
through tunnels lit by lamp light
A bygone era
Treasures were unearthed
ornately carved oak wood saved
Buried tools of life


Stable horses stomped
past dank stores, bars and hotels
 Place of ill repute
Men labored in mills
some sought the elusive gold
Smiling girls milked cows
Women slaved and taught
Long dresses once swept dust from
wide planked wooden floors


The first families
built a city on mud flats
at the water's edge
One can hear murmurs
of rough card games and fist fights
drinking heavy ale
Saturdays they danced
dipping to jumping music
till the first daylight


Indigenous shared
bountiful water, wildlife
Undisturbed mountains
flourishing meadows
Environment so pristine
But progress stepped in
Sad we did not know
Back then we had no vision
Should have let it be


by klr


The Seattle fire destroyed the original town in 1889.  With the subsequent flooding it was wise to rebuild the city with brick and mortar.  Having stood on shifting tideland originally, the old businesses roofs became the new stores' floors and commerce carried on.  The first buildings got new sidewalks below that permitted the use of wooden structures that remained and that became part of the new level.





6 comments:

  1. It's amazing how much we've destroyed over the past two or three centuries. And unfortunately we continue to do so. Wonderful provocative post.

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    Replies
    1. I didn't expect many to see this..I'm glad you did like it..

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  2. fantastic! wow I am impresssed

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  3. I've taken the Underground tour, and it's fabulous!

    Fevered Excitement

    P.S. Your link at Jenn's was defective, so I'm not sure where to look for your haiku.

    P.P.S.
    Would you please consider using only comment moderation and forgetting about Blogger's new, and very-difficult-to-read word verification? My eyes will thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I thought I had elected not to have either of those and will check out my settings to correct it...thanks.

    ReplyDelete

All comments, constructive and otherwise, are welcome and appreciated here. Thank you to those who show an interest in my quirky style of writing, photography, painting, and presenting a feeling or thought and for stopping by A Dwelling by the Sea..