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Lonely City by Jim Murdoch

In 100 Poems, poetry on January 12, 2009 at 4:38 pm

Title: Lonely City
Author: Jim Murdoch
Number: 2/100
Allocated postcode: EH2

Lonely City

I dragged my loneliness
down Rose Street ,
looking for a cold one,

and we watched a dancer
lose her top
every third record

in this wee corner pub.
I doubt she
was even a native

Edinburgher, perhaps
some foreign
worker or poor student.

We weren’t brave enough to
chat her up
but the girl never showed

the next night, nor the next.
In the end
I had to go home but

my loneliness said he’d
stay and wait
for her. “I feel quite at

home here,” he said, and grinned.

  1. The inspiration for this poem came from an article in the Edinburgh Evening News, 3rd December 2008 with the heading: A vibrant city . . but Edinburgh is the loneliest place in Britain to live.

  2. Hi, Jim. Fancing meeting you here. That’s a cool poem.

  3. Interesting style. brief – and sad (for the girl)…
    Liked it very much.

  4. […] 1: Betwixt by Elaine Webster No. 2: Lonely City by Jim Murdoch No. 3: Mellis, Victoria Street by Vivien Jones No. 4: To Edinburgh by Russell Jones No. 5: Crags by […]

  5. […] 1: Betwixt by Elaine Webster No. 2: Lonely City by Jim Murdoch No. 3: Mellis, Victoria Street by Vivien Jones No. 4: To Edinburgh by Russell Jones No. 5: Crags by […]

  6. […] 1:Betwixt by Elaine Webster No. 2: Lonely City by Jim Murdoch No. 3: Mellis, Victoria Street by Vivien Jones No. 4: To Edinburgh by Russell Jones No. 5: Crags by […]

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