Na Koncu Ullcy

the window was broken as the smell 
of stinking raw fish heads fresh bread 
and that mangy old dog barking 
always seemed to awaken me I dashed 

quickly for the back door to sneak down 
into the basement where coal was burning 
heating thee entire Irish stoned building 
smoke filled the chimney while up the street 

a Polish polka song being played in the middle 
of the day folk dancers lined the curb as sidewalk 
street sweepers interrupted the final song 
laughter and hymns opened my mind to Auschwitz 

beckoning old memories that settled within 
musik boxes old clocks and violins somehow 
behind katy gates i'd wondered how old Mr. Olgavich 
managed to dance to a simple tune called Americanist
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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