..
There’s a lady on the corner
holding court with garbage
rats and silence.
Sometimes,
she sings. This little
light and the fight
song from her alma mater.
Most times, she listens;
this broken breeze
ballooning her sleeves
as if to whisper
them into wings.
..
It’s Quadrille Monday over at dVerse (my favorite!), and I’m hosting. Come play!
Whimsygizmo's Blog 
whisper sleeves into wings..oh wow!
I can really see that lady… love the fact that she still dreams, and how she could whisper sleeves into wings..
Oh that is just a wonderful poem. Creates such a great image.
She has hope for herself and the future ~ Love how ballooning her sleeves, can be turn to wings ~
So, I really sense you are writing about a real someone–if not, you have made her real. I too love those wings. Such a wonderful prompt and perfect use of it. Thank you.
A strong Q44 for sure–part whimsey–part existentialism. It is poetics about hope midst urban decay, isolation, & a touch of madness (where balloons carried me today).
You stirred in the ideal amount of irony for this crisp picture!
Other people have already commented on that image, whispering sleeves into wings, so I’ll just say that I like it too 🙂
My favorite phrase as well … a real winner!
Oh, I love those wings. They turn her into an angel, of sorts.
This is incredibly beautiful, De 🙂 especially love; “ballooning her sleeves as if to whisper them into wings.”❤️
I too love those wings. And the image of the mad woman still with hope. Perfect.
I hope the breeze whispers her sleeves to wings.
Such a wonderful Quadrille, De. That lady is familiar – I’m sure she has visited me sometimes. I remember the ballooning sleeves like wings.
listening all too often neglected in the chaos and sound pollution filled world we live in, love how you write that this lady listens to the sounds and the whispers and allows it to balloon her heart and sleeves.
I believe ladies on the corner, such as the one you describe, do the best and the most for humankind.
Hate to hear about the rats and garbage. I’d want wings too in a place like that.
I like the opposing dynamics of her one song and the other…I could almost hear a faint hum of “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…” It tells me that there is light in that soul. Wonderful, De.
I liked the garbage rat
Well written. I like this take on “balloon”.
I really like the image of ballooning sleeves with the hope of turning them into wings.
“ballooning her sleeves
as if to whisper
them into wings.
wow. what an imagination dear. ❤ ❤ ❤
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daydreaming, keeping us hopeful despite. 🙂 nice write
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I agree.. this is a lovely, hopeful piece. Thanks, De! ❤
ballooning her sleeves
as if to whisper
them into wings.
It is good to while away the time on occasions!
Hank
A beautiful sad quality to this. I just love your last line:
‘this broken breeze
ballooning her sleeves
as if to whisper
them into wings.’
A powerful image. Your piece restores some humanity to the ones on the main of society
Reminds me of the bird lady in Mary Poppins…feeds them and the music is almost religious in tone 😉
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She really deserves to fly. Sublime.
I think I’ve seen her. I love the idea of holding court not just with the garbage rats, but with silence as well. Great description.
I like that the sleeves (wings) could whisk her away from all that.
Great imagery. You’ve really managed to create a complex character in these few words.
Love that last stanza.
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I saw this ‘lady on the corner’ as a homeless person, not a mad woman, holding onto what she use to be with a song in her heart. She is one of the many unseen living on Paradise Ave.
Heartbreaking, and beautiful.
I can see this woman, and oh my gosh, that last stanza is wonderful.
The last stanza is precious.