The dying of the empty street,
With yet the flag that grimly waves:
The short success, the long defeat.
The bricks were laid, and eaves made neat:
So soon to see, these same enclaves
The dying of the empty street.
Each ledger, and each balance sheet,
Once-busy stores that turned to caves,
(The short success, the long defeat)
Of nails and screws in size complete,
Of two-by-fours and barrel staves
(Now dying is the empty street)
An ever smile, never cheat,
For all who pass these architraves —
Still short success, then long defeat.
Why do I mourn the obsolete?
I’m one who sees, not one who saves —
The dying of the empty street:
The short success
The long
Defeat
Such beautiful words bringing me so much sadness. My hometown is dead and erased from all but my own memory.
Where was it? What was it’s name?
Wakenda, Missouri. It was swallowed by the Missouri river in flood of 1991, although it had died so many years before.
The flag suggests America right? The UK suffers the same blight, sad times. Lovely poem. Enjoyed it.
Thank you. It is sad.