Tuesday on Ammons Street
I’ve begun to eye
the older guys, the
poets, chess players,
retired brick layers,
how they scribble on
the back of envelopes,
how they get up
out of chairs, how
they use old age to look
a beautiful woman
straight in the eye,
I can see my cohorts
angle out of fishing
trips, decline
the incline, prefer to
be unmated, play for
the draw
15 thoughts on "Tuesday on Ammons Street"
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The poem slows time through a unique description of the idleness in getting old
Scribble on the backs of envelopes, get up out of chairs, use old age to look a beautiful woman in the eye.
This is endearing, true, hopeful mostly but a little sad. There’s a lot of range there!
I second this!
Playful, too. I like “I can see my cohorts / angle out of fishing
/ trips.”
I heard someone complain that he brushed up against a trash bag and got a scratch on his arm that did not heal for a week. I see/hear life, boldness, caution, exasperation in your poem. Excellent writing!
this has such a great flow.
Fantastic poem! A subtle take on aging & letting go.
I feel the same
Word written from observation and living, but written from experience. Great write…
Lots to like here, especially:
how
they use old age to look
a beautiful woman
straight in the eye,
Love the ease that the title sets for you the observing eye. Love the silences that are built into this scene. Damn, you’re good!
I think you look the reader “straight in the eye” and report on the observations of what you see in the “older guys” as though it is perhaps what’s coming (?) and perhaps in doing so reveal feelings about the transitions involved with becoming older…?? of course I cannot know.. but whatever it is, it reads true to me..and I think it is revealing of a way of seeing that I am getting from your poem. I love it. Thank you for writing.
I picture the chess players in Washington Square Park (NY) when I read this. About the passing of time yet timeless. Well done as usual Jim!
I like the poignant details of this
This is powerful, Jim, and captures my own feelings about aging.