Just Visiting

I wander unknown streets, 
pavement hard beneath my feet.

City detritus blows in wintry wind,
dust and grime of the sinned

against and sinning, surviving
in brick and cement, not living. 

Lost like a dog or cat, snow in my hair,
I feel as if I was never there.

Just a ghost in the burbs, I give you chills,
blowing ice berry kisses to fields and hills.

Kim M. Russell, 3rd January 2023

Image by Aaron Wilson on Unsplash

This Tuesday at the dVerse Poets Pub, Merril is our Poetics host and asks: Are you listening? She says that, at the end of the year, there are many lists of the best of this or that. She was struck by the New York Times list of best podcasts of 2022, which can easily be inserted into a poem. To make it an even ten, Merril has added the title of the first podcast she remembers listening to, Serial, as well as This American Life, and her favourite podcast, Ghosts in the Burbs.

Our challenge is to choose at least two titles from the list and write a poem including the exact words of the titles within the poem. The word order of the title must be retained, but we can punctuate the longer ones. The poem can be in any style or form, and we may also use podcast titles as the titles of our poems.

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47 thoughts on “Just Visiting”

  4. Great job with the titles!
    ” surviving in brick and cement, not living. ” This line is sadly so true for far too many.
    I am most smitten with the last line!!! “Ice berry kisses” —- delicious!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. As Lisa points out three poets had a similar theme, and I was just thinking that it’s interesting that the ghost and lost are set in cities. I imagine one could feel very alone in a crowded city but I can’t imagine feeling alone in the woods or country.
    A very effective poem!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. I feel every line of your poem, that is the definition of good poetry. Not certain I should share my son and I are heading down to sunny Florida Sunday morning for the remainder of January. Wishing you a healthy, happy 2023!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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