You can sit
by a green river
flowing beneath
tourist-packed streets
drink green beer,
share stories about kissing
the Blarney Stone
or four-leaf clovers
found in a field of green
stretching on and on and on
like the depth of your green eyes
luring me in with unspoken words of love,
words I know I can change, feelings
you (a master of manipulation) hide,
create lies to cover up your change of heart.
When I look deep enough, I see a faint spark
lurking in those green eyes.
It calls to me, begs for me
to pull it out from places deep within,
the light before a train appears
in a tunnel-vision mind,
the spark I know is there
but you let die that day in March
green became the color of my skin.
**
Poetry inspirations:
dVersePoets 
oetics~ It’s Not Easy Being Green
The Sunday Whirl 100!- master, street, change, share, train, die, calls, stretch, march, words, places, create, faint
Ouch!
And St. Paddy’s day also lures like that tho history knows it was the death of mother religions–symbolized by snakes–in all of the Ire-lands. Okay, I know that is not a Christian thought, but my faith can o-exist rather than destroy.
This is quite a St. Patrick’s Day poem, Laurie. I like the way the mood of the poem changed from the beginning stanza to the end stanza. Green river would be fun. Green skin…yikes.
Oh my,,,another dream brought to dust,,,,I love how the poem builds to it’s sad end,,,this is how it happens many a time,,,, I enjoyed this one,,,
oh snap….what a story you embedded in this laurie…goodness….felt the slow twist in this….the seeing it inside them and then it slowly rather killing you out as well….geez…..good stuff….you used green very effectively…
oh heck…think i need a green beer after reading this…dang…this builds slowly and effectively… cool stuff laurie
…i love the green river & how you pattern the whole poem Laurie… too sad to end it that way…and def not expecting it… i can only sigh for this very well told piece… smiles…
You run through the gamut here – very effectively too, Laurie. k.
Yup…feel the ouch most sincerely here as you cleverly distract with so many hints of green. Wonderful work
like the green skin..I thought only super heroes had that;)
Wonderful story telling… with green as the red thread
That’s a twist in the ending ~ Great weaving of words Laurie ~
A different representation of green today, almost reflecting life from the beginning of this poem to the effective darker green turn at the end. Very nicely done.
This is wrenched from deep within.
Such original phrases to express this.
I actually did kiss the Stone. Terrifying to have to hang down backwards, like having your hair washed in a salon, but scarier.
Ooh… I bet.
The premise that another’s vulnerability can wound us is a great jump-off point for this capture of how who we are effects so much.
Very effective – I was enjoying the green river, but then it was lost to the sadness…moving.
Marvelous paean to “Greeness” on this St. Paddy’s Day, or any other. You have a deft slight of hand, like a close up magician, and once more you found the bathos in the moment, the twisting of heart strings, the sad & sour note; leaving us stunned per usual; thanks.
Building up to a sad crescendo. Things do happen! A pity if it does as it normally revolve around two young hearts. Nicely Grace!
Hank
Beg you pardon, Laurie! Gosh!
Hank
What a sad ending, I really loved the end stanza and the build up. Wonderful writing.
Dang… this is a surprising twist and heart wrenching I particularly like the 3rd stanza. Wonderful Laurie, just wonderful.
Laurie – absolutely did not end where I thought I had started – very weird and wonderfully written! K
Made my skin shiver.
Ah yes, you do have to watch those deep green eyes! I found this seductive!
Wow. I love the twist and reality in this story. “It calls to me, begs for me” …words so vivid, images we can all share. This is haunting, beautiful, powerful. Thank you for sharing this.
I really like tat 3rd stanza. Master of manipulation. Well done.
Some people are afraid to let that spark grow into flame, so they make up pretty stories instead.
I really enjoyed this. My interpretation of the green river, tourists, tunnel is that you’re in New York. This combined with the sadness of your story and it’s title made for a such a good read.
Green is the colour…!
Wowza! This is a strong piece, Laurie. It spins itself around me as I read.
Felt the sickening. Liked the green beer. Loved the chance. jumped at the green skin. Nice one.
Very immediate and well woven,
Elizabeth
http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/instruments-of-survival-ii/
Great job of weaving green into the story of relationship and, what felt to me, like love unrequited.
Laurie – this is a true beauty combining St Paddy’s into a thwarted love story – with the powerhouse use of green – truly a tour de force ! Bravo
Lately green has become my favorite color. And you speak of it with such knowing.
I love the serenity in the beginning and then you led me to that horrifying green skin. Excellent twist to this poem, Laurie. Nice to have you on our poetic journey.
Pamela
Lovely poem with such sad longing at the end. Heart aches for both, the one with hope, and the one who would hide his “spark.” Well penned, Laurie.
The poem’s beginning reminds me of times I’ve celebrated St Patrick’s Day in Savannah, Ga. with green beer and friends beside the green river. I also like the twist the poem makes…almost like two poems in one.
Ooh … envy, the shade of green. Nice write Laurie. Happy St. Patty’s day!
So a green could be an illusion too!?! seeking to deflect from the truth….!
There seemed to me to be two stories running parallel in this evocative piece. Of course the was the St. Paddy’s day link but it was the deeper darker tones of a failed relationship that greenish hue signalling the end in jealousy and decay. Marvelous.
I like the way you kept changing the meaning of green as the poem developed, in such a seemingly inevitable progression. Gracefully done!
Whole lotta green there…*grin*
This is so powerfully written, starting on a cheery note and sliding into the depths of green…so to speak.
Ooooh, Laurie. This is good. Your imagery is fantastic. I was ready to pull out a picnic basket, but…it turned on me. I hate it when the spark dies.
Great poem, love imagery here
OK, the rant: I HATE when cities color their rivers green. It cannot be good for the denizens of the waters. Now I will stop!
Laurie, your use of the color was at first alluring, calm… and so, when the final stanza came, I understanded the title. Wow, took my breath away, girl. Really a quality piece of poetry. Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.com/2013/03/15/mama-needs-a-brand-new-bag-a-barlette/