Photo: Victoria Slotto
the atmosphere on the street tonight
the heart makes the simplest things
so damn complicated.
you teased me from my lethargy,
drew me into shade-like shadows
of a recessed doorway on a street—
dark, deserted in new moon night
drumming rain on pavement
patters frantic rhythms, hypnotic.
i yield then beneath a lone streetlight
(to love) that floods me in the darkness.
but that was then.
and now you fill the room with emptiness.
i taste the void and wonder why
my heart still hopes
because i know that things so simple
can become so complicated.
I gleaned the title from the Moody Blues:
“The Other Side of Life”
Written and Linked to dVerse Poetics where Anthony tosses us some lines to play with and make our own. Stop on over, pick up the prompt and see where it takes you. This is based on something from my long ago past (thank God).
And let’s wish much luck to Anthony, who is stepping away from the Pub to pursue his career with his new publisher. Bravo.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
Beautifully crafted. Your works are always beautiful
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It seems that Anthony’s lines inspired atmospheric poems in many this week. This is drawn with such skill and care. And with a surprisingly tragic turn, excellent work! The collaboration was seamless and magnificent.
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phenomenal! You turned the lines into something brand new.. I especially loved, “shade-like shadow” that minor change gave this new meaning and you used them so well! love it
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I had a Rockwell painting in my head as I read your beautiful lines.
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Wonderful write. Taste the void, the sensuality then the emptiness. I too like the rhythm on the pavement. The rain is just a vivid image for me and hearing the sound of it, You took the lines and made them your very own with this. And the title…..when I got through reading this poem, I had to go on YouTube to pull up the Moody Blues and listen to several.
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Kind of cool that you did not use a different font for the prompt sentences. It kind of makes the read more seamless. I, too, like the line
/taste the void & wonder why/ a state many of us encounter often.
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i taste the void and wonder why
my heart still hopes…… love can be so complicated. Beautifully written.
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A lovely poem …..even if it has a sad touch….
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You’ve tied those lines in so seamlessly. Well done, Victoria.
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Bravo, Victoria. Magnificent poem with the given lines.
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Well.. Victoria..
both you and
i sing the
Moody Blues
on blog posts
of different
avenues
today..
but still
the moody
blues are a great
poetic prompt
any time of
now for
me as
well..:)
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This is like something out of a film, the rain and passionate meeting, and then that void that came. I love how you weaved the sentences into something entirely new..
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I felt the joy of passion stirring in the rain and then felt the sadness of the void as time passed too quickly it seems.
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Love your streetlight image…and the heart still hopes.
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I always love to see what you do with a prompt…and you really gave life to the idea of simple things having a way of becoming so damn complicated. I love the title of your poem as well. Perfection!
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How sad to read that the room is now filled with emptiness from the hypnotic pattern of drumming rain ~ Very well done Victoria ~
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Love the Moody Blues…and that line about filling the room with emptiness…
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This is AWESOME. Love it, V.
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Oh dang, it got all hot there for a moment,
only to leave me so cold. This one really dances V. I like the patterned rhythm of the rain on the pavement. Taste the void – i like your choice of sense in that. You wove several of the lines in here really nicely.
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