The Park at Night

by Larry Chamberlin   Dec 31, 2016


It is a smallish park built for soccer;
thousands of weekend kids play
cheered by thousands more parents
with coolers, frozen towels
and colorful umbrella chairs
(I've seen parents who match chairs
to children's yellow or red uniforms.)

But at night the park forsakes
throngs who daily line the lot with SUVs,
who've tucked the kids in bed
and settled in for the Late Show
without any concept of empty parks.

Life emerges when the humans leave
taking their terrible titans with them;
skunks and possums saunter
finding morsels lurking in wrappers.

An owl calls for a mate in low branches;
feral cats hunt rats under the patio
of the soccer team building
furtively staring at me and my dog;
they used to confront my Siamese
who walks with Rowdy and me,
but this tiny toy Aussie
has taught them manners
their mommas never had

The owl hoots in derision but stays
well away from the patio himself;
his silhouette passes under clouds
that glow with light borrowed
from a sun long set
from the moonless sky.

This empty parking lot echoes,
modulates, makes audible
high- pitched barks from bats
scrubbing the air of mosquitoes

Parks at night are like a blank journal
written in disappearing ink
only seen by those who bring body-heat
that develops the text of natural wonders.

7


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Latest Comments

  • 7 years ago

    by silvershoes

    My dad would walk our family dog, Lou, around 10pm every night before going to bed. They'd go on long, ambling 30 minute walks and had several routes picked out. Sometimes I would go with them. One of the routes took them through the elementary school and baseball field near our house. Our cat, Stinky, would walk with them part way and my dad would carry her in his jacket for the remainder. We have possums, raccoons, skunks, and even turkeys that patrol the neighborhood. A few feral cats, though mostly they have homes I think. Anyway, this poem brought me back to those memories and made me think of the bond between my dad and our dog. Thanks for unintentionally triggering some warm memories :)

    • 7 years ago

      by Larry Chamberlin

      Thank you for sharing that, Jane. The more I here of your dad the more I think we'd have been good friends.

  • 7 years ago

    by Nil

    I love the visuals you paint with your words in this poem.

  • 7 years ago

    by Em

    Well done on a definitely, well deserved win Larry

  • 7 years ago

    by Mr. Darcy

    Hello, Larry

    this is a remarkable poem. You weave a wonderful yarn, sir.

    • 7 years ago

      by Larry Chamberlin

      Thanks guys. Guess I know this park by heart. So many of my poems were written here.

  • 7 years ago

    by Brenda

    Larry, loved this! Your visuals are spot on and I felt like I was right there walking along. Wonderful!

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