It seems reasonable <br />to judge this disconsolate city <br />by the miles of broken pavement <br />and the avenues void of smiles. <br /> <br />The way I pace these rainy streets, <br />it's undeniable my heart is in defeat <br />as I grow silent as a library <br />or a funeral parlor. <br /> <br />Once, I blushed beside flowers <br />as she removed her hat and gloves, <br />I was innocent with my desire <br />to touch her shoulders and fall in love. <br /> <br />I sought her happiness <br />more than I ever sought my own; <br />I wanted to be an honorable man <br />and only kiss her in daylight rooms <br />until she trusted my intentions. <br /> <br />As the years slip into a coarser age, <br />I must conclude, she's married now to another <br />and all the tattered pages of my poetry <br />are the vanity of a purposeless life.<br /><br />Uriah Hamilton<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/1-vanity/
