Orphan of the Night
Five-Minute Challenge Poem
Orphan of the night
Sitting alone on the riverbank, in the streetlampās spotlight
Wondering what he did to deserve to be here
In a past life, or this lifeābefore he could see clear
He was just a baby when they left him on the street.
The bar smelling of bitterness and whiskey neat
Home is a concept heās never known
Wherever he lays his head, heās always alone
But thereās something in the darkness that touches him
Walking along the riverbank, with no one to call kin
A semse of freedom that permeates his every breath
A wanderlust within him; a place that fears not even death
He loves the people he meets out in the cold
The small joys, the sadness, the friends who have grown old
He looks in at the happy people.
They call him orphan
They laugh at what they have, and he doesnāt
No one to call kin
But the orphan sees something different.
To him, their lives are a lie
Living to fit in
Their souls never touching the sky
Never wandering the darkness along the riverbank
Never knowing the thrill of having nothing in the bank
The ever-present closeness of deathās keen call
With nothing to lose, thereās no way to fall
They can have their homes. Heāll keep his alone
Living life on the run
Born a rolling stone
About the Creator
Joelle Eš
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Comments (3)
Great poem, Joelle!
I am so glad I subscribed if it's treats like this I will get to read! So sad, with such powerful and beautiful word choices!
The sadness in this is so palpable, I can feel it! You have done really well!