The angst of summer heat
echoes through the night-
“Angora wool on aisle nine,”
the alley where the wild play
sway hips in unison, dance poles
like strippers on display. Leopard
prints dig holes in seedy neighborhoods
packed with fiends drooling at the musky
scent of rank denial, the litter left behind
meant for someone else, tomorrow.
©laurie kolp
Posted at dVerse Poets Open Link Night
So many ways to read this, one of which–cats marking up the alley–got me laughing. But the heat angst in this poem has a much more desperate feel after the wool find: hips and pole dances and fiends drooling at smells–the people who leave the litter themselves the litter. And tomorrow?
This smolders all right!
I’m not certain what this means:
Leopard pumps dig holes in seedy neighborhoods
packed with fiends drooling at the musky
scent of rank denial”
but it it feels hot and smoky!.
~ j
I read it as leopard prints – those horrible fake fur things, which made me feel the heat even more – despite the minimal temperature here in Northern France!
“Angora wool on aisle nine,”
the alley where the wild play – I’m loving that. So very much.
now that sounds like some wild party going on…and hate when they leave the litter behind..ugh…
last two couplets just stellar!
leopard prints you say…smiles…its too hot for any of that…this took a quick turn for me after that first stanza…and is really good laurie….
Hmm. It paints a rather “contemporary” picture in my mind…
After dark in some neighbourhoods, the streets belong to others. This is very vivid and reminds me of ladies of the night wearing leopard spot clothes, plying for their trade. Reminds me of the dangers of being out late at night, especially, a woman, alone. Great write Laurie.
Oh, Laurie … this is magical. There are about sixteen different ways that one could read this
. You paint some very vivid images, and yet manage to leave a lot to the reader’s mind 
Very well done. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like the end of a few parties I’ve known. Great job.
Nice piece, Laurie
Wonderful, very vivid and intense. Well done. k.
Life in the hot city of summer!
Looks like a party in summer ~
That one mess I would not like to clean up nor smell. vivid write
Fantastic writing – so many layers
“Leopard
prints dig holes in seedy neighborhoods
packed with fiends drooling at the musky
scent of rank denial,” wow Laurie love this imagery!
i love the openness of this, the possibilities for interpretation it holds. something slightly ominous lurking in the background. very intriguing.
I wouldn’t want to be there the next morning! Great write.
Just so excellent – you have absolute control of pace throughout. I love how you hint at the wild things of urban living.
……..Leopard
prints dig holes in seedy neighborhoods.
These lines were just so inspired and the exact ones on which to turn your poem.
Make a mess & leave it behind for clean-up that probably never comes…