She's eclectic,
wears moss and leaves
in her flowing, often tangled hair
She's full of ideas,
for language and culture, she
has quite a flair
for language and culture, she
has quite a flair
One gets to know her, slowly,
to form an opinion worthwhile
to form an opinion worthwhile
I've seen her through only distant eyes;
it's said one either loves her
or they don't - seems there's
no middle ground
A sailor will return to her from it's said one either loves her
or they don't - seems there's
no middle ground
open seas, endure days to just
reach her elongated throat.
Her eyes dark as the night sky,
her body curves like a highway
along a mountain ridge
Sitting crossed legged,
her thighs press together like
layered hills and valleys
Her waist expands or cinches tight
for adjustments needed
She is eccentric,
beyond belief!
She's winsome, enchanting,
sexy, and endearing;
but many think her cruel and
full of greed and guile
I imagine her to be benevolent,her body curves like a highway
along a mountain ridge
Sitting crossed legged,
her thighs press together like
layered hills and valleys
Her waist expands or cinches tight
for adjustments needed
She is eccentric,
beyond belief!
She's winsome, enchanting,
sexy, and endearing;
but many think her cruel and
full of greed and guile
tolerant, open-minded -
in spite of all the lies,
I think all the while,
she feels loss and gain with
all her heart,
in a very personal way,
She fight corruption,
tries to keep hatred at bay,
has the power and will to change
direction, make the next chess play
She has flaws and woes,
can be driven to fury,
can be driven to fury,
yet compassion is her strong suit
One side of her is cold, even numb,
but she eases her wounds, goes on
by pursuing the best rule of thumb -
striving to be the best of
what she can be...
One side of her is cold, even numb,
but she eases her wounds, goes on
by pursuing the best rule of thumb -
striving to be the best of
what she can be...
she is tough, but she still
can steal your heart anyway
can steal your heart anyway
She is electric -
her dress a resplendent array
of flickering lights;
her Native American history
goes deep into the hills,
her dress a resplendent array
of flickering lights;
her poise is unquestionable;
it's the voices she hears
that try to break her soul,
her colorful lifestyle
Her investments come from
her center, reaching afar
Although her skirts hide the
darker side of things,
it's the voices she hears
that try to break her soul,
her colorful lifestyle
Her investments come from
her center, reaching afar
Although her skirts hide the
darker side of things,
she is demure and bubbly champagne,
above par
People of all walks of life
yield and bow to her
She's a caretaker for all;above par
People of all walks of life
yield and bow to her
her Native American history
goes deep into the hills,
yet she designs dreams for the future,
new pathways to follow
She is built like a formidable ship
new pathways to follow
She is built like a formidable ship
ready for battle, yet as a woman
she is whole, and dynamic;
delicate when it comes to the
slightest details
She knows-
she is whole, and dynamic;
delicate when it comes to the
slightest details
She knows-
She's New York -
her rich history is the vigor
in her blood that fills her veins
and makes her body tick every day,
every year, with new excitement
There's so much more to her
than room here to write,
Ric Burns did a nice job on PBS
her rich history is the vigor
in her blood that fills her veins
and makes her body tick every day,
every year, with new excitement
There's so much more to her
than room here to write,
Ric Burns did a nice job on PBS
We are writing poems about cities today at dversepoets.com
Your poem has really characterized New York in a fascinating way, Kathy. Enjoyed how you wrote the way she is eclectic, eccentric, and electric. A cool piece!
ReplyDeletei rather love new york...she is def a jewel...so many facets to take in...
ReplyDeleteevery time i visit her i find a new piece to appreciate.....
very cool write...you brought several of her personas to life...
This is a great poem, Kathy! I like your choice of adjectives and features. 'I imagine her to be benevolent,
ReplyDeletetolerant, open-minded -' this made me think of all the immigrants that reached NYC in search for a better life.
Very cool. It seems that personification is the preferred technique for this prompt, and you rocked it!
ReplyDeleteshe's a fascinating and multi-faceted city for sure... i fall for her since she greeted me with cherry blossoms when i arrived.. smiles... a cool portrait of nyc kathy...
ReplyDeleteI think you have me convinced of the beauty of a lady.. The tolerance and openness.. Just maybe those hiding skirts are a blessing.
ReplyDeleteA very enchanting piece Kathy. For a moment, I almost forgot that we are talking about a city let along NYC! Truly a side that has not been captured by those movies and books.
ReplyDeleteI too wondered at first which city you could be describing - perhaps the quintessential city, which New York certainly is. I love the way you describe its diversity, its obvious and hidden beauties, the cold side but also the compassion...
ReplyDeleteUntil you revealed which city she was, my mind meandered up & down both coasts, looking at the great port cities, or even some on the gulf. You did a masterful job building the eclectic view of her, looking at her boldly, warts, manhole covers & all.
ReplyDeletegiving the city the feminine mystique is masterful, of course, but as a man, sometimes I tire at the romantic sexist tendency to assign female gender to vehicles, boats, planes, mountains (though I tend to think of volcanos as male; my wife disagrees, of course). I like the lines /she has flaws & woes/can be driven to fury/yet compassion is her strong suit/.
I've never been to NYC, but your words make me want to put it on my bucket list. A vivid, beautiful description.
ReplyDeleteNeither have I ; )
DeleteThis is fantastic Kathy, I know places like this at least like so many of the wonderful images you have written about. Excellent depiction of the features of a city.
ReplyDelete