The Streetlights
I think of all of the streetlights
In this city.
All of the streetlights. There must be
If not millions, then at least hundreds
Of thousands of them. Shining down
Upon the prostitutes, the dealers,
The gangs of teenage lads out looking for
Trouble, and the majority of straights
Heading to work, or on their way home.
The homeless trying to sleep in shop
Doorways, the young lovers snatching
One more kiss, the crack head snatching
Some old woman’s handbag.
Illuminating both the pride and the shame
Of this medium-sized city, and me
As sad as a wilted, dead rose, walking
Home and composing poems in my mind.
©2020 Ian Lewis Copestick All rights reserved.
Ian Lewis Copestick is a 47-year-old writer from Stoke on Trent England. Although he started writing poetry in 2001, he only started sending them out for publication 8 months ago. In this time he has had over 100 poems and 5 short stories published. He is featured in print anthologies by Alien Buddha Press and Horror Sleaze Trash. His first book Detritus Of The Drunken Night was published by Cajun Mutt Press on April 2, 2019.