He sat, half-bent in a pool of grey fabric
Watching the swim and flicker of people.
The tide of sound pulsed against his ears
And he felt the wingbeats of pigeons,
Saw the wet mouths of sighing children
And the panting of cars like beasts.

The inverted city glimmered in grey.
He ruptured the illusion – gently –
And tasted the gutter rain.

She sat.

The spears of her shoes toed the stream
And her face was the child’s
Discovering the edge of the sea.

He scrubbed the bristles on his chin.
He –

“Sylvia is beautiful. Her eyes are just like your mother’s.”

The lights of her vision fell
To the tensing ropes of his hand.

“She remembers you.”

The carnal breath of taxis
Moistened the air.

“She doesn’t remember you like this.”

She swept a bundle of black silk thread
Behind her ear, her hand an artist’s:
Noble marble. Warmed.

“It wasn’t Grace’s fault. It wasn’t because you’d worked late. Again.”

Liquid silence,
He thrilled at
Drowning.

“It’s no one’s fault when infants die.”

He coiled himself, he gripped his mind
In scaled armor.
A wavering, the image disturbed in water
Of pink,
Silk,
The dimpled weight of a tiny hand.

She smiled –
“She’s beautiful.”

The woman tilted her gaze
At the growl of the 905 –
One block south, right
On path.

The man beside her folded and dined
Upon the images of memories rising in a boil.
His world melted into oil paints of swelling light.

Death offered
And he took her hand.

“Let’s take a walk.”

Author guidance for This poem

* Please don't rate anything in this tournament. Thank you! *

On to Round 4...

Bracket A:
1. meliverde (in)
2. Gabriel (in)
3. Archi_Teuthis (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64309

Bracket B:
1. Briony (in)
2. faith (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64325

3. g2LaPianistaIrlandesa (in)
4. olius_brightwell (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64326

5. smac972 (in)
6. TheRiverTalker (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64332

7. Lyre (in)
8. aryst0krat (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64333

9. Eloosive (in)
10. Bill_Hartzia (in)
http://www.protagonize.com/story/winter-2010-poetry-tournament-rounds-3-and-4/64334



These were the results from Round 3:
Bracket A:
1. Briony vs 2. meliverde *
3. smac972 vs 4. Gabriel *
5. Lyre vs 6. Archi_Teuthis *

Bracket B:
7. Bill_Hartzia * vs 8. SomebodysAngel
9. faith * vs 10. Gnashville
11. aryst0krat * vs 12. The_Lemon_Yellow_Donkey
13. TheRiverTalker * vs 14. Phoenix.Wolf
15. Mr.Autumn vs 16. g2LaPianistaIrlandesa *
17. ElzuWolfe vs 18. Eloosive *
19. olius_brightwell * vs 20. FogCat

* indicates winner of that match.

updated Feb 22 '10 by Rac7hel