Best Windy City Poems
I’ve a vast store of mem’ries about Chicago
as I’ve lived there for a couple of years
helping out in the parish of many immigrants,
especially Mexicans and Puerto Ricans.
I’ve made friends and a number of them
still continue to correspond by emails;
it’s like a treasure-trove of relationships -
where friendship makes a big difference.
I still remember when I get invitations
from people of other cultures in their homes;
their different cuisines and customs,
a great experience, a wealth of culture.
Chicago’s known for many attractions,
home of architecture with modern skyscraper
the neo-gothic Tribune Tower in the north
along with white Wrigley building in the city;
rich in architectural history, a sight to behold!
Its classic and modern architecture so far,
complements each other in visible terms,
with innovative ideas and creative designs
a special city with marvelous history.
Daniel Burnham, the famed architect,
designed the Merchandise Mart and others
significant to his life like ‘Paris on the Prairie’,
a tapestry of combined art of old and new.
Renowned architects with their respective styles
such as Frank Lloyd Wright and his prairie designs,
Louis Sullivan and his visible ornate facades
Ludwig Miles van der Rohe for modern styles.
Oh, Chicago, known also as the Windy City
so rich in history and its uniqueness too,
the time when a huge fire razed the city
destroyed lovely buildings in 1871.
Well, with the growing skyscrapers in the city
Chicago Spire, for instance, with its 150 stories
designed by a renowned architect Calatrava,
stands as the tallest building in North America.
With the so-called Trump Tower in its 92 stories
and then, Waterview Tower with its 90 stories,
Sears Tower, the skyscraper with its 110 stories,
that’s the only tallest among buildings in the U.S.
Oh well, this is Chicago in the landscape of beauty,
as a windy city, as well as a gateway to reality;
there’s meaning to trace back in history
there’s continuing progress towards this century.
While dining out, in old Chi town
just David and the Mrs Brown
peruse the menu, ask what's special
the waiter says our turkey pretzel
The Mrs makes an awful face
but Mr says he'd love to taste
how could a salted doughy ring
not be a perfectly tasty thing?
The ring arrives, with side of fries
and Mr can't believe his eyes
it's kind of green, but he has seen
much worse in places he has been
He wolfs it down and wipes his face
he thinks, not bad for this kind of place
but then, he feels a sudden urge
a rush of wind that he must purge
He waddles through the men's room door
and falls upon the grimy floor
he crawls avoiding further falls
and squirms into the nearest stall
At last, he's safe, he thinks at least
to finally loose the gassy beast
but when he lets the big wind go
he finds he's soaked both high and low
The ring, the fries, the gravy too
they cover him in a film of poo
his pants are full, his shirt's a mess
what to do's a futile guess
He hears a voice and in a yelp
he squeaks I could really use some help
the voice says I'm the janitor,
what can I do for you, dear sir?
He tells his tale of windy woe
and out the door the janitor goes
on his return, he had a hose
a towel and some clean dry clothes
Brown comes out and looks around
he's naked now and feels a clown
the janitor then sprays him clean
and helps him in his brand new jeans
The Mrs asked are you all right?
When you crawled off, I had a fright
I warned you not to eat that stuff
you never listen to me enough
Brown looked down, he bit his lip
He paid the check and left a tip
a tip so large, the cashier gasped
she said this question must be asked
Was it the food, the ambience, sir?
Or maybe t'was the hatcheck girl?
I'd like to know, so I can tell
others why you think we're swell
Brown shook his head, he turned and said
I'm lucky now, that I'm not dead
your food's the worst that I have had
and I have had some really bad
Your restaurant's a dirty mess
your hatcheck girl could learn to dress
Your service, though, it is the best
with that, I really am impressed
sitting on the corner
in a cold and windy city
I wrote a little verse
I think - more of a ditty
It had a subtle lilt to it
a bit terse – a bit witty
of a troubadour too cold to sing
Oh, Lord, it is a pity
sitting on the corner
3AM - in a windy city
John G. Lawless
©12/9/2021
The powerful, upward thrust of the skyscrapers
The sinewy curves of the lake and the river
The throbbing pulse of the trains and the traffic
The musky scent of the hot dog carts
And the sultry moans of a feral saxophone echoing through the streets.
Yes, Chicago!
You are a sexy beast!
The Windy city
Chicago a city by the Lake Erin
A blanket of white and the wind
Whistles between sky -scrapers
The great city is not what it used to be
Now it is like third world place
Where bullets whistle through the night
Citizens are no longer safe
Those who can move out leaving it to
The hateful and bloody pavements
I remember the 1968 riots and ever since
Chicago looks like an African city
Demanding and intolerant of other folks
Opinion and guns sit loosely in the holster
Of friend and foe
Known to be a windy city, but it was not windy that NIGHT.
It seemed the weather and everything was just RIGHT.
I was excited about taking her home, and we were all ALONE.
It was a perfect place to show we both were STRONG.
We both desired and believed we had a good FUTURE,
and now was the time to prove that we were MATURE.
I left her home feeling I was on top of the WORLD.
One big kiss from one beautiful GIRL.
A kiss like none I had ever KNOWN,
and it lifted me higher than I'd ever FLOWN.
It was STEAMING, and I wasn't DREAMING.
It was a moment I wanted to last FOREVER, but
we had to calm down, because we both were BELIEVERS.
50 years ago, it was windy but not in the usual way; and though the day was slowly departing, she was still casting her light; and the evening star was creeping forth, but I was being blown away,
not by weather wind, but by the stormy winds of an awesome kiss.
091120PSCtest, A Night Of Passion And Desire, Faraz Ajmal. 8P