City Bowl Blues

The sharp edges are brushed by polluted shades

As the day expires flirting graciously with the dusk

The angry hard drive buzz is reduced to a calmer hum

The island, the ships, the further shore.

A neighbour lingering at his door

Chatting to some girls with his boy in his arms

But mommy’s not happy and comes out to get her son

Sometimes sitting here on the balcony can be such fun.

Evening descends with a touch more fuss

A teenager gets scolded for missing the bus

The professional makes way for tired and casual

The smog and sun’s afterglow creates something special.

Birdsong drifts fragile as the cacophony subsides

To be shattered by a roar as a traffic light changes

Moving in unison despite their strangeness

And the general mindlessness besides.

Hues of grey and crimson mingle with a far truer blue

As the moon and sun share the blossoming sky

Carrying the smell of a thousand suppers

At home and with friends or simply alone.

Night heralds its arrival with a base beat thumping deep below

The city is transformed beneath its neon halo

The island, the ships, the far shore, the twinkle and flash

Indistinct shapes roam dark shadows in search of cash.

The ocean spills up into the infinitely black firmament

Yet more pointless loss and destruction are imminent

When the passion lies denied, festering, waiting to die

And the look in your eyes fails to hide your lies while the city cries.