Photo by www.city-data.com
Walking on the pier Time Warp enclosed with
large grooves carved into wooden planks a
reminder of nature’s wind holding salt sea
that polishes bits of broken glass into
smooth, small treasures waiting to be found
Amusement park rides standing idle like
remants of giants waiting for their fares that
never come, a ferris wheel, bumper cars in
back of gift shops with dusty shelves selling
funnel cakes, ice cream and cotton candy
Buildings unpainted, the aquarium beneath a
merry go ’round still running with the sounds
of the Wurlitzer playing, the horses like animal
mannigans going up and down with children and
older people alike all with smiles laughing
Fishermen stand idle and a black man makes
his puppet dance to the sounds of music
faintly heard on the wind coming from the boom
box while ladies in dresses promenade and
aging couples and youth walk by holding hands
© May 2011 Renee Espriu
reneejustturtleflight.com 
Is that the old Santa Monica Pier? Now all that remains is the carousel, made famous in “The Sting.”
Your treatment of this cityscape from an archeological stance is beautiful… then it gets more heartfelt as you go along. Lovely work, Renee. Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/twofer-damp-laundry-haiku-rank/
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This is the old Santa Monica pier and they still have the old rides but from looking at them I would not ride one. The whole pier is in disrepair and everything on it. It’s been years since my last time there. Did you live in CA at one time?
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Wonderful piece! Good depiction for making me view the pier without ever having been there. Brought back memories of old carnival rides and the fairway. To bad they can see the value in something that was used so much by the public. Candy
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Thank You! My visit brought back many good memories.
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Your words brought back memories of County fairs attended as a child, and then later with my own children. Love the photo, its haunting quality echoed in your poem. Fragile balance found and well written,
Elizabeth
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beautiful, thanks for taking us to the trip. it was fun. i mean it.
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