Elizabeth Street

by Maple Tree   Dec 20, 2015


I grow in silence.

I've become that abandoned
house on Elizabeth Street.

A beauty alone, rainfall seeps
through cracks of those who
have slept here for a time, haunted
by my existence.

I hold hands with the homeless
for they do not see the ugly side of me
only the warmth of my broken windows.

This city will become my burial ground
a place that saved me, allowing me to
be free, only to falter upon loneliness.

It's a suffering of its own kind,
to be surrounded by people who
love you, who can't understand
why I can't love myself.

I've condemned myself to live this way
a writers death sentence I suppose...

I find comfort upon the steps of the empty
because I've been empty for years...

5


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Latest Comments

  • 8 years ago

    by Someone Invisible

    Absolutely breathless with this write. So much emotion paired with flowing words that invoke such vivid imagery.

    I hold hands with the homeless
    for they do not see the ugly side of me
    only the warmth of my broken windows.

    My favourite stanza, because it demonstrates someone, maybe yourself maybe someone else, who has a less than glamorous opinion of themselves. Because this poem does speak of loneliness, it does resonate of haunting abandonment. Ant when you get that lonely it begins to seem as though maybe we did something to make everyone leave, so we look for what we think we deserve. But being shelter to the 'homeless', people who are lost within themselves, says a lot of the character of this person you write about. It takes a lot of courage to help and care for others when feeling so downhearted.

    I don't know, maybe I'm way of base with this, all I know for sure is this piece is tragic and beautifully penned. 100/100

  • 8 years ago

    by Cindy

    Congratulations on your win Andrea.
    Take care
    Cindy

  • 8 years ago

    by Tara Kay

    Beautifully sad piece Andrea,
    Congratulations on a very deserved win...
    I know I've been absent recently but am trying to get myself back into the rhythm of reading and commenting...
    Hugs...and love x

  • 8 years ago

    by debbylyn

    Very vivid images of loneliness and abandonment, a house, a soul, while the city/life bustles along unaware of the decay. Congrats on the win!

  • 8 years ago

    by Mr. Darcy

    Hello,

    I really like this poem. It is both revealing in tender terms and in physical terms. I find myself drawn to this house with its broken windows and haunted empty rooms. I want to fix her up and love each room with my tool box and paint brush. That neglected house on Elizabeth Street will live again and have children playing in its yard.

    Well done on this win.

    Take care,

    Michael
    ((Hugs))