The Alleyway

Today I took a turn down a dark alleyway It was dark and grey and reeked of filth and decay Down at the end I found an entrance to a church Inside, a strange guttural voice could be heard

The door creaked shut as I moved to a front row pew From there I had an unobstructed view I was barely aware of others in my periphery As I listened to this minister of misery

I listened to this creature speak for far too long I got up and left as the choir broke into song In the rain I hunched to a street corner Where I encountered another torture

Through a shop window was this man in a box Smugly rambling on in a rant that never stops With the same old words and obvious polarity But yet I stayed and heard this herald of heresy

I broke my daze and looked along the littered street I watched eyeless strangers as the rain turned to sleet I turned back to the television to hear more absurdity On the screen now was the leader of lunacy.

This was a path I needn’t have taken I had a choice to walk any street — to any destination I could have walked through the park — or to a café But, again — for some reason — I chose the alleyway

JArtB

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021