Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Open The Glass Door

Queen Street West. Toronto, Ontario. Quaint shops define this street in the artsy fartsy district of Toronto. Many of the buildings are old and a bit tattered, but quaint nonetheless.

About a block east of Claremont Street and about three blocks west of Bathurst I glanced at a glass door at 704 Queen West. It was painted with various shades of blue graffiti, and under the painted street number the stenciled words "JUDGE ME". What, who, why was all I could think. So I snapped a cell phone photo.

Behind that door are stairs to the walk-up apartment in that building. Beyond that is left to one's imagination. I'm not sure I really want to see beyond that glass door and those two words.


judge me


a wellspring of my impatience
floods my eyes, drowns my soul.

damn the drought of my conscience
with karmic retribution, surrendering
my pride to shameful supplication.

I beg redemption to choke me with
benevolence

and make me
kind.


Poem © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo © 2010 by R. Burnett Baker
Photo taken by R. Baker at 704 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario, August 2010.

6 comments:

  1. What fabulous inspiration, Rick. "I beg redemption to choke me with benevolence and make me kind." Such a powerful, powerful line.

    (I had no difugulty with this piece)

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  2. Willow, glad you're not having any difugulty! LoL!

    Thank you for your comment. I'm truly impatient at times, mostly with myself. This is a prayer of sorts to remind myself to think of others more than myself.

    I'm not sure it's been answered yet......

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  3. Getting kindnes of such a kind... a real aim...

    Beautiful poem!

    ;)
    Dulce

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  4. Powerful piece, Rick. It's wonderful that you found inspiration in your surroundings, and drew truth out of reality. Your words are deeply stirring.

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  5. Oh that was fabulous! I'm squealing with delight...shameful supplication
    ...choke me with benevolence
    oh so good Rick!

    Oh and the door....wow
    indigo like....deep blue of night and lonliness
    judge me....how cool of a door is that

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