in photograhy, poetry 125 Words

Silent Night, Sober Night

I stand here at the hotel window

And look down on a mostly empty street

All Lit up under a mostly cloudy moon.

I can’t believe how desolate it is now;

A few years ago, this place was booming.

This street would have been one big

Party on a Saturday night back then,

And, regretfully, I would have been one

Of the drunkest of the party-goers.

Now, those days are a blurry memory.

Tomorrow there’ll be plenty of folks

Down there on the street, shopping

And greeting each other seasonally,

But tonight it’s so dead, the only thing

Changing is the one lonely traffic light.

I must admit, it makes me feel a bit

Lonely too, but at least I’m not drunk.

–Photo by me

21 thoughts on “Silent Night, Sober Night”

  4. Hotels can be the worst, around this time of year… but you’ve made a beautiful image and poem for us to gather ’round with cheer. Here’s to the quiet communion of sobriety, where a cup of creativity is sweet salvation, and becomes a fount when shared. Love your work, Michael <33

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  7. Places and people do change over time. Some changes are quiet. Some changes are loud. Some changes humble us. Some make us proud. I have observed that we observe it all, judge and interpret it through our feelings and filters. I have felt that sense of emptiness looking down from a hotel window on a quiet city scene at night and it seemed as if what I experienced was ‘borrowed’ from previous viewers from that room. It was the residual energy left there, one might feel if sensitive to it. Some things that challenge us make us richer and happier by their absence too. So glad you shared this Michael. 🤗

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  8. Wonderful poem, Michael. I review poetry, both contemporary and classic, on my own page, and I couldn’t resist writing about this one. If you don’t mind, I’ve shared my thoughts on your poem through the link below. If you’d prefer I take it down, just let me know, and I’ll do so immediately.

    I’m glad I finally got to one of your poems—it really resonated with me. Your ability to capture both the external world and the internal journey in such a quiet yet powerful way is always something I admire. I’ve been following your work and photography for a while, and I continue to appreciate the depth and honesty you bring to everything you do. Keep up the great work.

    You can find the link to my review here.

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      1. When I was a child, it was a magical, happy time. It’s a shame we all can’t hold onto that feeling. I suppose it must come from me being old, too many Christmases, too many disappointments.

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