wrapped in my winter coat
& black boots
Around me,
passengers bury themselves
in free morning paper & noiseless music
By now the wheels
chugging is a steady beat
that I am lulled to light sleep
There is a magic circle
of tree moss, coral, flora & fauna
weaving and rising over my head
Suddenly, giant umbrellas are scurrying
people out of their seats, over the graffiti walls
& above buildings to their heart's destination
Further away than blue-grey Niagara Lake
To where mountains nest
a forest with air so crisp as pine needles
And here I sit
on the floor filled with the fallen leaves
from ancient gingko tree, all golden
like an ocean bed
an infinite tangerine sky
In me,
I am
I
"crackles" the operator's voice
announces my exit platform
I rise from my seat
and see a woman across me
wearing a bright yellow furry coat
Among grey & black coats, she stood out
in the crowd
like Big Bird, I muse
Then, she turns to me with cheery wave:
Have a good day!
I catch the speck of yellow
sun
as I exit the cold subway tunnel
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Inspired by title and poem by David McFadden, Secrets of the Universe ~ Please join us when the pub opens at 3 pm EST ~
Picture credit: Colossal
Oh I was right there with you, especially in the forest.....and I loved the cheerful Big Bird woman!
ReplyDeleteShe was real, smiles ~ And she wasn't shy telling everyone around her, how she got the bright yellow coat ~ Thanks Sherry ~
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDo tell us, Grace. How did she get the coat? Love the cheerful poem and picture.
DeleteOur two poems started almost exactly the same :-) what a magic moment among the golden leaves... I can really see how such a scene could play out if I close my eyes... and afterwards that lady in the yellow coat.
ReplyDeleteMy mind is always leaping out of the train, smiles ~ Thanks Bjorn ~
DeleteI enjoyed the progression of this poem and the images. I like the details of the boots, the colors of the coats, the giant umbrellas, and (of course) Big Bird.... I have been stymied by this prompt, but I will give it a try a bit later today now that I see a few examples.
ReplyDeleteJust my everyday stuff, smiles ~ Thanks Mary ~
DeleteSo fun. The way you played with color and the use of the present tense made this immediate and drew me right in. Yellow is such a perfect color to interject at this time of the year when there seems to be so much gray.
ReplyDeleteYellow stands out in this grey grey winter ~ Thanks Victoria ~
DeleteYour daydream is stunning, & then awakening to the woman in the yellow coat puts me in mind of the little girl in the red coat in the B&W world os SCHINDLER'S LIST. At first this prompt confused me, but reading McFadden got me focused fast; thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe best place to meet people - the subway/underground/public transport - and to get transported from the mundane to the sublime. I like the gradual build-up in this one, the spark of colour and mischief towards the end.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I enjoyed your reverie, particularly the way it all came down to the woman in the coat at the end. Smiles...>KB
ReplyDeleteSMiLes... on almost
ReplyDeleteevery train alive
at least a little..
tHeir is
a free
bird
just waiting
to share some
feathers to fly
again..
for those
with
wings
not yet
featheredfree
and now lost in
yelLowEd fAll...:)
Bringing all to life with the little things and color at play sure works indeed too
ReplyDeleteI do not usually enjoy rides on commuter transports but this one I did. Wow, sitting among all those golden gingko leaves...being surrounded by them and then, the lady in the yellow coat, like a gingko herself. I liked all the details in this.It truly brought me right along with you.
ReplyDeleteI love trains...so easy to daydream with you when we are on a train.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a stunning write Grace :D I especially love the reference of the speck of yellow sun. Beautifully executed!
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sanaa
You are AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteIt felt like Narnia to me...liked the umbrellas idea and gorgeous photo too
ReplyDeleteI really like the blue-grey Niagara Lake, mountains and pine needles...and sitting on the floor filled with the fallen leaves. These imaginings seem like a wonderful escape while commuting by subway.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that photo is gorgeous! As is this stanza:
ReplyDelete"There is a magic circle
of tree moss, coral, flora & fauna
weaving and rising over my head"
Also, I love the unexpected appearance of the bright yellow, fuzzy coat. Too cute. Especially comparing her to Big Bird! :)
Awesome. We should all be so lucky as to meet someone in a bright yellow coat and matching disposition as we go about our dreary day.
ReplyDeleteThe Yellow vibrated into a beautiful poem. thanx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely dream you drifted off to, Grace. The yellow of the ginkgo leaves transmuted into a yellow coat...cool.
ReplyDeleteBright yellow daydreams...much fun!
ReplyDeleteI love it whenever you mention moss :)
ReplyDeleteLove that tree, read the article about it a few weeks ago
We must have been on the same train or wave or something that's a secret.
ReplyDeleteOh, a bright moment in a grey day... just like your poem in my rainy morning.
ReplyDeleteAh, all magical and lovely secrets here!
ReplyDeleteI've seen that woman, someday, somewhere. She made me smile.
ReplyDeleteFantastic. I love noiseless music, Grace. Did you say... Big Bird?
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful comparison, and a superb juxtaposition of tree to that woman ~
ReplyDelete