Charleston by Jean Hendrickson

Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Adam Jones

Dawn shadows buildings
wilting in despair
their bricks pulled down
by clotheslines
filled with men's
impatient burdens,
women's gossipy dresses.
Humidity drips
like blood stains
from fire escapes
to sweaty sidewalks.
Vicious light
seeps over curbs
cracked as old teeth.
Sunrise transmutes
the slattern city
to a Southern Grand Dame,
Hibiscus in her hair.

BIO: Jean Hendrickson lives on the banks of the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. Her poems, short stories, and essays have been published in Powhatan Review, Roux Magazine, NO O Journal, Portfolio Magazine, and in several other print and online journals. She is one of the happiest people anyone knows, and is pretty silly about it. This is somewhat defensible since she's a retired professional clown. EMAIL: ergosum100@cox.net