A glimpse of your young blank face
and the way you hold the Camel
between the middle and index fingers
almost make me feel sorry (for you)
for the world being such a boring
artificial place in your innocent eyes
Smoke wafting out of your purple lips
signifies every single dying breath
declaring sadness in happy music
darkness underneath the glamour
and the dead silence buried under
the endless, monotonous noise
The indifference and rejection
reflected in the tender tint of your teen face
is what saddened me because
Your life is not that different
from mine or hers or the man singing in the corner
We were all young once
(Something has definitely gone
wrong!
As a matter of fact, it has never been righted
not even once. I’m sorry to report)
Before the train pulls away, there is one thing
I want to whisper to you thru the bullet proof glass
that Life is a miracle (yours and mine)
Long or short, in your own hands
those tender-boned, slender hands
of youth!
:: z.z. 2005
影云 :
Like this poem a lot - - - it spots a lost and hopeless soul in the “crowds”: blank face, blank glimpse (aimless), purple lips (coldness and indifference), Camel, wafting smoke . .
Maybe there is no crowd at that moment, but we have habitually ignored things and beings around us. But that “I” pay such a close attention to this girl and feel sad for her brings about hope - - - there is still someone in the world, who cares and perceives the common sadness of being
Indeed, this poem reminds me a little bit of the movie: Breakfast at Tiffany
作舟 :
thanks, y.y., for your sensible reading!!!!
even though i don't know about the film you mentioned, i totally agreee with you on "hope" and "hopelessness" reflected in the poem.....
cheers!!!
影云 :
very good one, i watched many times, an old one ...
if you know Moon River this song:)
if you agree with the hopelessness and hope in the poem, then that's what the movie is talking about :)
drifters of life
作舟 :
thanks, y.y. for recommanding the flick!!!
however, this poem is not about "drifters" per se....
the "young girl" might go to a good private school or have a middle class
family, for example.....
what "saddened" me is that "she" hasn't even begun "life" yet......real life, i mean....
the sort of "fading light"....if u know what i mean, before the light is even turned on.....
影云 :
a drifter, in that movie, means a person living above or escaping from life . . . of course, the young girl in the poem and the women in the movie are not exactly same . . . just some scenes, they way they smoke, the glimpse of blank face , remind me of that .