I spent Monday and Tuesday at a meeting in Las Vegas. To say that the city is in direct conflict with my word for this year, (authentic), would be an understatement. Monday night, after dinner in a casino restaurant with my team from work, I left the table and walked back to my room at the earliest opportunity. While I savored the peace and quiet there, I looked out my window at the lights of the strip and thought about the people I saw on my walk back to the room. It seems to me that there is a lot of glitz in Vegas, a lot of sparkle and shine, but not much happiness. I scribbled my feelings on the scratch pad sitting by the phone.
Me, in my well worn jeans,
surrounded by spiky heels
and black spandex skirts
skimming hips,
and hugging thighs;
Shivering goosebump exposed
shoulders
in the taxi line;
bleached bright smiles over
ochre lined eyes,
-- oh honey,
who are you? buried
beneath the black
shattered night.
Not quite like Oak Creek! Your words captured the feel beautifully.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, thanks for sharing. I haven't been to Vegas, but I've been to Reno and can't say I enjoyed it much - gaming machines in the airport as you get off the plane - but at least the natural setting is beautiful. Vegas is a place I have zero interest in visiting.
ReplyDeleteYour poem describes Vegas exactly - you have a grace with words, Annette!
ReplyDeleteI could never live there, but I used to work with someone who grew up there... she laughed and said it was a normal town with a lot of normal people in it, except for the tourists!
ReplyDeletenice poem. I like it. Funnily enough Las Vegas is one place that I've NEVER wanted to go. Ever. And you summed up why.
ReplyDeleteI remember my first visit to Vegas, coming down into the valley at dusk. All those lights! I thought, 'what a waste of resources'. There ARE a lot of families and normal folks in faded jeans outside of The Strip, though.
ReplyDeleteWow! Very good. I know the feeling.
ReplyDelete