The Lamppost

The Lamppost

There’s a lamppost outside;

It’s bowing down

To avoid getting the rain in his eyes.

He bows all day and looks sad

whether come rain or come shine

because he is too thin and too tall

to cover anyone at all

from the droplets of rain or from the rays of the sun.

From across the office’s glass doors, I see him.

He just stands there,

day in and day out.

On this gorgeous gloomy autumn day

His tears blend in with the rain

And there’s something I wish I could do.

People pass him with their umbrellas

And the more he looks blue.

As I locked the doors behind me at one past five

I approached the evergreen lamppost

And just stood beside.

I lifted my head and looked down the street

There were many more lampposts;

And they all pretended to not notice me.

They all turned away from each other

As if they were all mad with one another

I thought about them and wondered what I should do

I looked up at the lampposts standing beside me

And not even my company had made him change his mood.

I looked back as I walked away,

They all looked so miserable,

And they made me feel that way too.

Forget it, I said.

Tomorrow I’ll bring a sharpie instead.

From across the office’s glass doors, I see them.

They just stand there,

day in and day out.

But now they bow down...

with smiles on their heads.

Author: Laura Sanchez