Long Boogaloo Poems

MILES OF BLUE
By
Tony Adamo (Nov.25,’05)

I walked into a little jazz dive off 125th and Lex.
A cold wind blew me through the swingin’ doors.
Beer, peanuts, dark smoke and the smell of times gone by laid me...

Read More

Happy.  Genial.  Merry.  Jolly
Blottoed, blasted, etched and blitzed
Mellow, foggy, hazy, squiffy
Tipsy.  Tiddly.  Brahms and Liszt

Dazed, zombied, tanked-up, trollied
Ganted, gubbed, guttered
Bladdered, blathered, leathered, plastered, 
Sozzled, sloshed, scuttered

Hammered, battered, caned, mangled
Spannered, mullered....

Read More

As I set out 
To jot down this poem 
I had no earthly idea 
Of what would transpose 

And who all would be 
Joining along 
I'm as surprised as you 
To these goings on 

I...

Read More

jampacked city streets
that jangled and banged
in the raucous jarring day
shifted
from business to boogaloo
squeezing into moonlight
party lights
gin and lime-kissed
gimlet sequined dress
strutted
in studded six-inch heels
riveting flair
provoking jive and jazzy nights
to tame this lion of New York

The bed...

Read More

The Unexpected Moments


1. Spider floats down a web, you grab at the web, then you toss it out the door,               ...

Read More

So many things in life I'd like to know
So little time for me to gather answers
The tango, jerk, the bop, the boogaloo
Were any of them favorites of Dancer?

Mid-afternoon, an outside noise disturbs
As I'm recording thoughts...

Read More

Safe Yank
The American was a typical man of his breed
Loving guns and weapons and ammunitions
He had a huge collection of firearms at home
Well over 300 rifles and hand guns of all kinds
From Red China via...

Read More

Inside this cell no sell, just a bag of spiders big and fat 
with gnarly hands she tucks away fifty crawlies in her hat
Her name is Katz and she loves cats but not old stinky...

Read More

Was it last year, or yesterday?
Old Totem asks Taboo
Who ordered orchestra to play
Was it myself or you?
We never ever ordered that
Replied to this Taboo
But they performed a finest set
Played waltz and boogaloo
So did we dance...

Read More

One day I tasted upon my liar's tounge the sweet sugar of victory, only to
find that my pride had turned it to salt, and for
all that, it was refreshing. I
realized that sugar is everywhere, and
salt...

Read More

How transient this psycho life,
psycho babble, psycho speak,
sat in corners, doing the freak,
rant and rave, brand, engrave,
and stamp and carve with a butcher knife.

All the cuts and spilling guts
could not convince any other than
I am...

Read More

here I go again
on a belt fed groove,

suck it up
ruck it up,

legion on the move,

all the things we used to have
all too soon are gone,

wave goodbye
eyes gone dry,

another trek through foreign dawn.....

see the henna hidden...

Read More

Dimes drop, records begin to drop
Rhythm to stroll,  jivin’ to hip hop
Slow to jitterbug,  boogaloo  to rock
Twistin’ Chubby and rock around the clock

The Platters sing, you hold her close
Eye to eye, love’s...

Read More

Neck-o-Flex
Twist-o-Flex
Single Roll,

Boogaloo
Scarecrow
Puppet, 
Push and Pull,

Toyman, Robot,
Shamrock, Waving,

Eqyptian Twist,
Romeo Twist,
It's Funk we're making

Double Lock,
High kick, handkerchief
Apple Hat,

Splits, Knee drop, Wrist Twirl,
a Layout that's flat,

Stripey socks, bright Zoot suit,
Marshmallow shoes,

Candy Hush Puppies, big smiles,
no need for blues,

Waistcoat,...

Read More

I'm on my bike every day
Trying to lose some pounds
I giggle like a little girl when
The scale says I'm heading down

The lard is just melting away
I'm a shadow of my former self
Almost lost a whole...

Read More

Wet My Entire Pants



If into your back I sank my claws

Do you think you could give to the cause

After both of my claws were released

Would your dead body be properly policed.



If some body must love...

Read More

Veterans of Vietnam 

Do you still carry it with you, 
the rifle of the fight?

Are you absolved in your bravery
even though you did not die?

Do you see worth
for what you risked?

I could not smell your...

Read More