Flatbush Summer 

Flatbush summer 
punks with punks
like birds on a wire 
on an Eldorado’s trunk

Levi cut offs jelly shoes 
restless and waiting for Katie Q
her fathers' pockets 
always good for cash 
it’s easy pickin’s 
when he comes home smashed

We take the take 
and make for Fred's 
he sees us coming 
and shakes his head 
we line the counter 
with Italian ice 
he snarls the tooth fairy 
sure has been nice 
he eyes our sticky fingers 
hands us wooden spoons
and says you girls 
don’t hurry back too soon

We check out the 45s 
at Mister Franks 
then we descend 
on Cuts by Hank 
muss the wigs spin the chairs 
disappear under dryers 
fake cut our hair

Till we see the firetruck 
head for the school 
we chase out after
OPEN THE POOL
they straddle the hydrant 
ready the wrench 
and we brace ourselves 
for that white-hot drench 
so soaked to the skin 
even our bones are wet 
as we spin in circles 
til it turns to sweat

Then we scour the alley 
for cigarette butts 
barely enough for even a puff 
still we stumble around 
act like we’re high
till that sun 
comes level with our eyes

And we see them rise 
from that shimmering heat 
the parents are back 
we’ve lost these streets

Trad 23 

 

Sugar Sugar

October thirty-first o’clock
No store bought costumes for this block
So grab your father’s shirt & tie 
Blacken a cork then blacken your eyes

Smudge some stubble on your face 
Then rip your pillow from it’s case 
Open it wide and hit the street
With a Clock Work Orange trick or treat

You know each and every house 
The ones to hit first the ones to leave out
With their peppermints wrapped in cellophane 
Raisin boxes and Mary Janes

No you know just where to go 
For the Charleston Chew and the Tootsie Roll
For the Pixie Sticks and Jolly Ranchers
And the house whose knocks will go unanswered

Then when you can barely lift your sack 
You must hurry and make your way back 
So you can fix your secret stash 
For marauding brothers do not ask

Leave him the Red Hots and Jawbreakers
It’ll do for now but he’ll be back later
So go find sister for the great candy swap 
Raisinets for Chuckles and Dots 
Lemon Heads for Bottle Caps 
Hot Tamales for a Sour Patch

then a candy necklace for a candy ring 
while the Tooth Fairy watches from the wings 

AMEN
We pledged allegiance to the slice
Each and every Friday night 
For all good Catholics glory be 
Would abstain from all flesh meats

And mom wanting to spread the dough 
Tried fishcakes and SpaghettiOs
But it was twice as bad as it sounds 
So we zipped our lips and stood our ground 

Till the food by which we would atone
Was two large pies & a cheese calzone 
From Lenny & Johns served lava degrees 
We’d snatch a slice trailing stings of cheese
  
Then fold it tilt it back and wait 
Till the oil drips hit the paper plate 
Then blow and blow but all in vain
For the burn was coming sure as a Swiss train

Oh but still we could not stop 
Till there were only bones left in that box   
And they were what I loved the most  
For Friday nights crust was Saturday mornings toast 
 

The Mighty C Chord

I thank the Mighty C Chord
The first one I learned to play 
My tiny fingers stretched to breaking 
Somehow knew the way 
And the first time that I made it ring 
I knew I could say anything 
For the broken record that was my mouth 
Where words would Skip and stammer out 
In bits and pieces sounding wrong 
Suddenly became a song

I thank the Mighty C Chord 
The first one I couldn’t play 
When my wooden knobby fingers 
Just wouldn’t bend that way 
But oh my faithful friend 
whose taught me damn near everything 
showed me how to find 
the notes on different strings 
And what had been familiar 
All at once was new
And there I was right back 
With someone to tell it to 
I forgot I had so much to say 
Or that I’d been away so long 
Now my heart just can’t stop singing
And this world remains a song