Poem: "Urban Shamans"

[ysabetwordsmith]

This poem came out of the January 4, 2011 Poetry Fishbowl.  It was inspired by a prompt from aldersprig.  It was sponsored out of general funds based on a recent poll.

Urban Shamans

These are not the shamans of old.
They're hip.  They're with it.
It's their job to keep the urban jungle green and gray
and growing.

In New York

Comments

[aldersprig]

I still love this one, and am glad it was chosen by the poll!

[siege]

I'm glad of it as well. I'd count myself in those ranks, if I were dedicated to a city.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

One of the things I find interesting about modern life is that there are now urban, rural, and wilderness shamans. The basic purpose is the same, but the approaches and the settings are much more diverse.

[pocketnaomi]

The great urban mayors, I've noticed, seldom do well at other political jobs if they advance to them. Most don't try. They're not just good politicians or good administrators, they're wired to their city, so that they can tell from downtown when a subway has gone off the tracks up north before anybody tells them. I think they're among their city's shamans, and they are usually too tied to the city they worship to fare well in a broader role. But I've lived in several cities which were lucky enough to have them, and know to cherish them while they govern the place they truly belong to.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

This was the runaway favorite.

Re: Yes...

[aldersprig]

It's an indicator of how sleepy I still am that my first response is *dance dance* !I win! :-D