Day 17

“Anyone Who Had a Heart”

Part One

Innocent as the thousand thousands, fallen petals,
from ornamental apple trees. White paint
and pointless dropped onto the sidewalk. Done. 
Even the bees have gone elsewhere. 
A breeze with feather touches pushes shoals 
of used beauty, into the gutter for the coming rain.
Better to have been a poppy from the start.
Scarlet. Black-hearted. Not so easy to forget.
Better never to have been innocent. 


Part Two

The scheming lord looks out on dawning Edo. 
Says:
I hate this city. He has just gutted a guard
and stabbed some poor stray wakeful in the back
on his way to slip the bolt for half-masked assassins
to stream in. Blood and murder. I hate this city
he says, not quite ruefully. I almost laugh.
Humans do laugh, to let go of horror.  I once
left a city that left me by changing 
in its heart. I hate this city I love.

---

Another made to combo day. Quickly’s Split Personality, and NaPo’s music prompt.

This didn’t turn out quite the way I’d hoped. Let’s call it lack of focus. I had a lot of Dusty Springfield, including Anyone Who Had A Heart, and then one of those segued into Corcovado . In fact, I think Part Two should stand alone under the title Corcovado.