A restaurant chosen
For the family
A group of seven
The table chosen
The meu in hand
We are choosing meals
Then enjoy a drink
Waiting for our food
Conversation begins
As we are waiting
Our waitress comes
Meals are ordered
Drinking tea, water
Enjoyed ginger ale
Waiting for our meals
Suddenly music heard
We all look around
We stare at a site
Of what is coming
Toour table
A musical sound
Being heard close by
Coming closer now
It's a -no, , yes it is
A robot with food
To our table
Beep Bada BAVBAD bING
e
Bas’ video of Africa really inspired me
Just riding on the Nile river Casually
He got me thinking bout my life, my family
My roots, my ancestors, my legacy
The real eastside--cradle of humanity
The birthplace of knowledge & reality
What’d you think, happen magically?
Kings & queens, put on a boat, tragically
I thought it was you.
I was startled by the tangerine glow that beamed so brilliantly
through the bedroom window
on the eastside of my house.
That's probably not a good place
for a window.
Especially if I want to sleep in;
but you are a restless comedian,
who thinks little of my rest.
You only want to make me laugh.
Continuously. And hysterically.
Like the late night comics
who fear that the memory of them
will fade at dawn.
They must linger...
Now, here you are.
I remember all of the funnies
that you told me.
So now, go ---
to the Westside,
where they are waiting for you
to amuse them.
And I will rise
and prepare to pass
on your silly stories, to whomever
will listen.
She was young, I was old.
She was easy, information gold.
No she did not have a contract yet.
But she knew her school – Eastside Prep.
Had met her principal, he’d paid her way
For the conference where we’d met that day.
I bought her lunch, pretended to be her friend.
Learned all her secrets, now and then.
I called the union after lunch.
Gave them an earful on a hunch.
Threatened a lawsuit, big and large.
Gave them specifics, now in charge.
Said they would look into it, and they certainly did.
Felt slightly guilty taking advantage of a kid.
Now she is sitting at home, and I am at work.
It is hard to usurp me, I can be a formidable jerk.
Written July 27, 2018
Contest: Fool Me Once Sponsor: Brenda Chiri
Those winter evenings on the Far Eastside-
remembered still for the aromas of
potatoes frying and coal smoke-
intermingled in the crisp twilight air.
At just about dusk, every evening,
all up and down the street-
coal burning furnaces would be stoked
and housewives would begin preparing
the evening meal-
all it would seem frying potatoes-
as back then fried potatoes were a staple-
and coal heat was still the norm.
All up and down the block,
we kids would disappear from sight-
because we all knew-
when the chimneys began to smoke
and that aroma filled the air-
it was time to go inside-
we didn’t have to be called.
If one has never experienced the mixed
aromas of potatoes frying and coal smoke-
it really is quite unique, and even still,
either one brings memories of winter evenings-
on the Far Eastside.
Come on come on everybody bounce bounce bounce with me
I am a hot stepper can't nobody hold me down so set me free
Everbody Jam Jam upon sugar hill
let your step be on a maximun overdrive skill
Quit Quit crying in the rain
Po folks downing purpil pills with cheap champagne
Seen my girl on T.V
looking starry eyed and a little dizzy dizzy
Come on Come on let's keep it up
let the whole world keep filling our cup
Rumble rumble in the jungle
let this magic wand not let you stumble
This ghetto love got to get it
Westside Eastside let's see it fit
For your going to fly now
like a sweet escape electric salsa fowl
No more football on T.V.
hit the streets a dance you shall see
Got to get one more time
try and keep up with this rhythm and rhyme
Hate it or love it I'm going to be alright
just stay with me just one more night
If ya getting down
I'll be there to wipe that frown
Don't cry tonight
Mr. Wendle luv you better with your runaway fiddle
So here we go once again
dancing and grooving
to a life on the streets spin
eastside, west side, uptown and downtown
riding the iron rail on the underground
the A, the B and the C
the F, the E and the D
the1, the 2, the 3, 4 and the 5
the underground rail where New Yorkers thrive
the IND, the BMT and the IRT
the heart and pulse of an unsleeping city
in a place that runs 24/7and 365
the subway is busier than a giant beehive
it takes many people to work, it takes others to school
it takes just a swipe of a Metrocard, now doesn't that sound cool?
you can travel under the city all day and all night
transferring from train to train and not ever see daylight
there do still have some elevated trains
but only a handful of them still remain
the 7, the J, the V, N and Z
the R, the M, the 9 and 6 run locally
from Brooklyn, to Manhattan, to The Bronx and to Queens
the Metropolitan Transit System is a sight to be seen
so if you're ever visit New York and want to get around
stop at a subway booth, buy a Metrocard
and travel the city on the underground
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