won't carry her prayer any faster.
Beautiful and blessed Saint Creola,
paint me a center line--
press a macadam pavement from every heart I ever carried between breath and skin;
give me, I pray, strong coffee and a name I can keep.
Outside Danny's Coffee Shop,
cranes contracted by the city manager raise the sun.
He would like to zone Danny's out of existence,
but it is as if God Herself were against him;
seven plagues have sogged his cereal
and set his ties to clash.
Midnight Jane, stay as long as you like.
Danny's is always open, even on a Sunday.
Margie, the city manager's wife, didn't get The Light sprayed on her blonde
directly from the Hand of The Divine;
she just lets on as if she did.
Jane, try the arms of the Succubus.
There, in a quiet corner booth,
it can always be night as smooth as new blacktop
and the stars that flash by like lane markers
belong to anyone.
_______
This is my 1200th post at Word Garden!
This is a slow and lulling waltz of a poem, full of the surreal touches that make it pure Fireblossom. The sense of creating a home for the heart, while praying so desperately for one's own, is as strong as black coffee and undeviating as a two lane through the Salt Flats. Yet in the end, it's the tenderness that is all that's left in the bottom of the cup. Beautiful loving, giving poem.
ReplyDeletea quiet corner booth, strong coffee. sounds sort of cozy to me. :)
ReplyDeletehappy 1200th!
1,200? That number would be impressive if YOU were doing all the writing.
ReplyDeleteThose spirits of yours deserve the praise. Their fingers have been worn down to nubbins, and all so you can crow the number 1,200 from the rooftops! Geeze!
hard to add anything after hedgewitch-she nailed it.
ReplyDeletei especially liked this-
seven plagues have sogged his cereal
and set his ties to clash.
how can anyone not love those alone at midnight in the corner booth?
~rick
i like what you did with the words here
ReplyDeleteand how you flang 'em.
a strong cup of coffee and a name you can keep
what else is there?
Hey, you meet the most interesting sort of folks at Denny's at 3 in the morning. Don't knock it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteStrong coffee is available, but the name? Sad, but she could be content without the succubus, couldn't she? It is so absolute to go to the stars for a center line and pavement--and if they belong to everyone, how special is that? Buck up, Midnight Jane, stay away from Goths. Death is real.
ReplyDelete" seven plagues have sogged his cereal
ReplyDeleteand set his ties to clash.
Midnight Jane, stay as long as you like.
Danny's is always open, even on a Sunday."
Your mind thrills (as usual...)
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
=^..^=
1200th and still shining brightly! Make a book of them, Shay, make a book of them. So many others in the world need to know of the insane sanity and uprooted solace of Danny's.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 1200!
ReplyDeleteOne can never go wrong when praying to St. Creola! I agree that you need to put together a book, no, several books! Danny's Coffee Shop Poems could be their own volume!
its always comforting to be in Danny's ...
ReplyDeleteoh i like that zoning line. that's the truth, right there.
ReplyDeleteBeen a while since we paid Danny's a visit or heard from St Creola. I'm glad to know that those who matter are keeping the faith.
ReplyDeleteI love the prayer interpolated in between the stanzas, and the mini character sketch of the city manager's wife is hilarious.
"cranes contracted by the city manager raise the sun."
ReplyDeleteThis and so many of your phrases...the opening about candles your close about night comparing to the smooth black top stars the lit reflective markers!
Oh...my two-ser loves your song...he's head banging standing on a chair next to me!
Love Midnight Jane...well done as always, Shay!
Congratulations on your 1200th post. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite part:
"seven plagues have sogged his cereal
and set his ties to clash"
SOOOOOOOO beautiful, and mesmerizing. Love the closing stanza with the stars flashing by. 1200 posts, and each one a total jewel!!!!! Your readers are wealthy because of them - so many feasts we've had in the Garden!
ReplyDeleteEvery town / city needs a place like Danny's. I enjoyed my 'visit.'
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 1200th post here!
"A sog upon your cereal!"
ReplyDeleteI'm saying that to someone today. Just see if I don't!
You have an amazing imagination. This was magical. And wow, 1200 posts! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThe people I meet when I read your blog!!! :) Have never been to Danny's (or Denny's) at 3:00 am... but now I feel I have.
ReplyDeleteI, too, loved "a sog upon your cereal"... ha ha. You are full of original "classics" :)
cranes contracted by the city manager raise the sun.
ReplyDeleteThis line is so kewl wish Id thunk of it.... very kewl write thoroughly enjoyed
I too love Midnight Jane and want a cup of that coffee~ Great story, with so many secrets scattered through out. I felt like I was back in my small town...watching it all unfold ;D
ReplyDeleteCowboy Junkies kept playing in my mind as soon as I read the title...lol. You paint some vivd characters with real thoughts and issues. I so love your stuff...heavy sigh.
ReplyDeletewoo hoo! congrats on your 1200th post! {{{isn't that enough for your selfish ego and id and super-ego???!!! can't you quit being better than everyone else now? of-fucking-course not! you just have to keep writing... couldn't you, just once, one teeny-tiny time, write something crap like every other human on this planet? that's it! you're from Venus aren't you? where's Mulder when we need him?}}}
ReplyDeleteloved the video!
{saccharin sweet smile}
<3