down michigan avenue
to escape into the wild,
to refresh in a kind of feral opening,
to stroll past the nature of things,
to take in Darwinian oddities
unmatched in the deepest forest
shops, tourists, taxis, flower pots,
stop lights
where a shoreline used to wave
and flood and turn and curl
civilizing the piles of sand
into something steady, strong
allowing grasses and shrubs
and birches and oaks
to dig in their heels to make a prairie
each stage making room for more
unexpected
down michigan avenue now
and then to turn right,
away, past the Episcopal Commons,
under the pounding of church bells
the flight of terrible angels
striving in the wind
holding fast in bronze
sand seeping up, ruddy wings
unfurling
Poems from in between 
9 responses to “Lunch break”
You really have a talent in creating sensory imagery and the feeling of movement within your poems. I enjoyed this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. That is very kind if you. I feel like this one is not finished, though. But I could not figure what to change or add. Sometimes, you just abandon them … So glad you liked it despite that.
LikeLike
I felt like I was walking along with you. I really liked “civilizing the piles of sand,” and the ending is breathtaking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Glad you liked that line! You always get it.
LikeLike
I love the sense of place you create here–Chicago is one of my favorite place to visit–so much so that I set my last novel in that city.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Cool. So glad to have this connection.
LikeLike
I see the urban scenery that you paint so well of walking down Michigan Avenue and then see what may have been there many years before as you describe the shoreline, waves and then the prairie. Love your talent with imagery…quite good! I’ve never been to Chicago…but perhaps someday.
Gayle ~
LikeLike
Very sensual and loving … Took me back to a walk down Michigan Ave. I was only a visitor and I loved it. It makes me smile – as does your poem – to think of it and to imagine it before it was Michigan Ave, beautiful in a different way. Charming.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much!
LikeLike