I woke up and met again the world
and was confronted with its chilling wind
with icy rain and smell of dirty wool
I turned a corner and my day was changed
when painted on the wall I saw the
million dollar smile
and every day I shared my morning joy
with friends, colleagues and family
a contagious happiness that carried me
throughout the day and into darkest night
and every morning a painting gave my
million dollar smile
it lasted ’till the day a cleaning crew
removed the painting on the wall
that day depression never left me
and all around me people ceased to laugh
sadness and depression ruled, without a
million dollar smile
I finally regained the strength to act
and bought me a graffiti set of paint
and in the darkness of the night I made
a new and better painting on the wall
so now again I face the world with my
million dollar smile
—-
Shared on dVerse for graffiti inspired poetry
February 21, 2013
Björn Rudbergs writings 
ha…a wonderful idea…ya know..i may buy some spray paint and paint me a million dollar smile in the tunnel on my way to work as well…smiles
I’m sure it’s a good idea, brilliant 🙂 and every day just smile.
oh dang….cleaning crew came in and took the joy away…probably thought it an eye sore…a nuissance…love the rebel in that last stanza in not letting that ruin it but now making another….woohoo!
Must bring the joy back again. 🙂
I love this! The art in the landscape is part of what shapes me in the morning–be it graffiti or not. Here in Philly, the bridge from Spring Garden to the art museum was filled with portraits of people who walk by–heads large as full bodies–one side the colors of dawn and the other the colors of sunset. I smiled at friends when I drove past every day to work. The new construction, now artless and open to the train yard below, just may have added to the anxiety that hastened my retirement!
I cincerely hope it will fill with graffiti 🙂
It looks forbidding, but true graffiti would use that as an invitation!
I too love the attitude and message of the poem, a wonderful response to the prompt. Thanks so much for joining us; it is lovely to meet you.
Thank you for the theme. Wonderful to think around my only graffiti picture I had. 🙂
I love the lift and happiness of the million dollar smile ~ happy to see that you painted it again ~
🙂
Happiness can be contagious and long live its propensity to infect us all.
Oh the misery brought by the cleaning crew… I can understand if graffiti is ugly and/or insulting – but if it beautifies a barren cityscape – let us leave it be.
Anna :o]
I love the spray can rebellion at the end, though I don’t normally go for such things. It work well in this poem.
Love it…love it…love it! 🙂
I am remembering billboards here in the states…everywhere…and ugly with advertising. To me, that was offensive..now this would have been something worth keeping up for the smiles it brought…I wonder who
had the influence to bring it down? Nicely written poem, too 😉
Great. Nicely done!
So glad you have a smile now.
loved the tight ending on this
love the persistent happiness
Bjorn–so glad you had the speaker make another smile.
Inspired indeed!
I love this! It’s showing me that the person in your poem had something to smile about, and when that smile was taken away, the person created a new one.
Superb. I’m going right out to buy a new set of paints!
I adore the positive and uplifting perspective of your poem. You made me smile this dark morning, and I am grateful for that. I like your format, your cadence and message.
http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/02/22/it-is-written-vehicles-of-the-word/
A nice twist – graffiti as public benefaction, not vandalism nor the expression of alienation.