Leroy’s Gone
Tennessee factory town,
not much happens.
Broken windows
at the blue jean factory.
Social Security checks,
fishing for catfish, napping.
Population declined,
Leroy’s gone to Memphis.
Out of the mist
a jumbo jet arrives
unloads beside the cemetery.
One hundred visitors
buy bread at Wanda’s grocery,
peaches at the roadside stand.
Gone two days later, they grieve,
lonely for connection.
lonely for connection.
10 thoughts on "Leroy’s Gone"
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I really like this
it feels like Bruceton
This line
“Out of the mist/
a jumbo jet arrives/
unloads beside the cemetery.”
Where you turn, you change the pattern, great breaks.
A dream.
Love the title ❤️
I like the kind of lonely feeling this one gives.
Every line, a sadness. I love the couplets.
Social Security checks are happy things, though. Ask Coleman 😏
That’s the one happiness in the poem, plus the imaginary jumbo jet.
Feels like a Springsteen song, the shuttered factory and yearning by those left behind. Hoping Leroy shows up in other poems.
Good idea about Leroy! The town I grew up in. It’s called Bruceton by the way, which weirdly connects to Bruce.
Reminds me of Beattyville only the jumbo jet is the hiking season at the gorge.
Great title.
Sweet rhythm here: Broken windows/at the blue jean factory.
Stunning image: Out of the mist/a jumbo jet arrives/unloads beside the cemetery.
Adore the name Leroy.
I love the surreal jumbo pulling up from the mist right beside the cemetery!