October 29, 2004

After

By Tony Brown

grey reeds grow taller now
on a dune spilling across
an abandoned landing strip. a wrecked

hangar clanking in a late fall wind
sounds like a bell to
come home, though there’s no home here.

if there are traces of
any planes at all they’re invisible,
except maybe for those two long tire marks

that curve out into sand from a
cracked runway, and those might be from a car,
some locals dragging here after sundown years ago.

do I miss departures and arrivals? hardly; I would settle for
settling here: make myself a shelter out of these ruins
and hunker down. it’s a dark world

outside these gates. you can’t really fly anywhere
these days that doesn’t smell like abandonment. instead,
I’ll sit down, build a fire, get comfortable with discomfort.

maybe, though,
I might dare to hope
to be spotted by

some last adventurer who’ll touch down lightly and let me board
as if nothing had changed here, as if we could still
go up expecting to come down to something we could recognize.

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About Tony Brown

A poet with a history in slam, lots of publications; my personal poetry and a little bit of daily life and opinions. Read the page called "About..." for the details. View all posts by Tony Brown

This entry was posted on Friday, October 29th, 2004 at 10:41 pm and posted in uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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70 responses to “After”

• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 31st, 2004 at 8:15 am

  I think it is indeed the common reed.

  I changed the original from “sawgrass” specifically because sawgrass is not a dune grass.

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• rainbows27
  October 31st, 2004 at 4:21 am

  Tony, do you know the name of the silvery grass in bloom along the highways now? It’s about seven feet tall.

  Also, I want to show you a poem called “The Terminal” from my Norton anthology I think you will enjoy.

  Melissa

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:56 am

  Thanks, hon. Appreciate it.

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• aurorabell
  October 30th, 2004 at 9:25 am

  I love this poem. It may be my favorite of the ones you’ve posted on LJ.

  I actually read it outloud to my roomate also and she also just said “wow” out loud. It was also great to read out loud. The sounds of the words themselves feel great rollin’ out.

  Can’t wait to see you!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:05 pm

  thanks!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:04 pm

  I read it aloud to my roommate and her comment was “Wow!”

  It was a real pleasure to read aloud, too.

  I like the “gun” poem too.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:01 pm

  y’know, I wasn’t expecting the hope, but there it was. and I find that hopeful, dammit.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• theal8r
  October 29th, 2004 at 8:00 pm

  nicely done. I really like the feeling of finality — and a sort of unwilling hope.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• radioactiveart
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:57 pm

  Thanks. Another one in the “write it in the post box of LJ” series. I never know how they’re gonna come out.

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply
• roxann_ireland
  October 29th, 2004 at 7:55 pm

  Good poem!

  Reply

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