Sunday 22 May 2016

we pengamen...


Poem by Susie Clevenger
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Image from Songs from the street: The underworld of Indonesian buskers - SMH April 18, 2015


we pengamen
stain the streets with
disposable music
so they say

but 
we got to prick a conscience or two

we pengamen
get locked away
tossed into an underworld
of shame

but
still 
we busker on

we got to prick a conscience or two

we pengamen
are filth
a worthless underclass
so they say

but
our feet beat the streets 
we busker on
and on


we got to to prick a conscience


we got to put some soul
some tender music soul

in your shoes



Linking to:
Imaginary Garden With Real Toads - Play It Again, Toads

6 comments:

brudberg said...

I had not heard the term before, but yes I know the street musicians... love the way they put music in my shoes while walking.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I love the idea of the buskers putting soul in our shoes and pricking our consciences. Our streets would be joyless without their music to lift us up.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I love everything about this, particularly the music in it and its progressive acceleration.

Susie Clevenger said...

Oh wow! This is amazing street poetry. Love the repetition of "we got to prick a conscience or two." We could all use some soul in our shoes.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Ah! This is just wonderful, Gemma. A true anthem of the street performer.

Terri said...

This is great. Thank you!

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