the counselor

The Counselor

Arriving at a dull inland town called Hamar in Norway,
the hotel didn’t serve food, but there was a stall down
the road which sold hot-dogs.
October, already bitterly cold, streets where swept of
life but they where clean ready to receive snow and
frosty wind blowing from the lake of Hades nearby.
While eating, squeezed by a coldness I didn’t know
existed, thought hell is not hot; it is Hamar, but there
must be a bar somewhere to lift my spirit.
There was, a bar that played jazz music loudly to cover
for lack of skills, but I didn’t mind I was here for a drink
or five and I’m not a musical critic.
Dawn, got up shaved and used mouth water as I was
driving up to a clinic and train to be a counselor helping
people who had alcohol problems.
Got the job, looked out of the window…snow. No this
was not a job for me, helping rich people getting sober.

Published January 12, 2012 Write a comment
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RAJ NANDY
This poem has many aspects to it, which can be commented on ! I am hearing Swiss Jazz music at times , a great number of FM Band Jazz Radio Stations are embedded on my Google page ! Yes our concept of Hell is one sided ! It is not mere brimstone and fire , it can be bitter Winter of Siberia and its concentration camps too ! The rich have their money despite their various mood ! The poor gets his heaven with a bottle , which buys him sleep for a few hours! Thanks for sharing , -Raj
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