Just my reaction after reading T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock
Advice to old Prufrock
You prowl the streets at night
haunting skid row dives.|
The catlike yellow fog clouds your mind
and lulls your soul to sleep.
The women may speak|
of another hero,
it is no matter,
jealousy diminishes.
You have known them,
yet still they distract.
You, not they
decide your course.
The clock ticks steadily
but it hasn't stopped.
Fear and doubt freeze the spirit
just as hope opens the door
and allows artistry to flow freely.
Step away from the dusk
and walk into the dawn.
The mermaids sing for you
if you just open your heart.
Dare
to take pen in hand
and you may find
some will listen.
------ Judi Van Gorder