Poem: City Roots

City roots are shallow by necessity
All that pavement doesn’t allow them
To run deep instead they go wide
Spreading out every which way
And what strange fruit is born

Poem: Deepest of Blues

We watched the sun set and the moonrise
Until the moon set and the sun rose again
The horizon circling around us
Like we were the very center of the universe
The infinite heavens stretched above us
Stars burned falling lost forever
Beyond our notice as we were lost

Poem: Street Lights

As the lights go on in the city
Her body tenses like that little girl
Who had to be in by the street lights
Before the night grew too dark

Poem: On a Cold Day in September

Some days when it’s rainy
And I can’t face the day
I try to stay inside until
It all fades away like a
Leaf on the wind drifting
Aimlessly then it lands
To ride the streaming current
Along these dirty city streets

Poem: A Fall Day Precipitating Leaving

blooms are cyclical
beautiful temporary
in patience returns

Poem: Forgetful City

I went searching for something
That I thought I had lost in California
Instead I found my dark haired beauty
Of sunset boulevard in bright colors
Designer heels sparking and diamonds
Looking like a movie stars dream

Poem: Queen of California

11:11 and I’m making my wish
To be with you where you are
I picture you standing there
In your underwear in front
Of a full window overlooking
The lights of LA stretching out

Poem: The Life of Cogs

The night air tastes like industry
Carbon monoxide and ozone
Even at night when the workers sleep
It hangs in the empty streets
Filling the lungs of the people
With the work they left behind

Poem: Ashcans on Horatio Street

Among the refuse and ash cans
and the girls hitching up their skirts
down along the walks of Horatio street
are the kids with dirt under their nails
trying to hustle for some mouthfuls
of stale bread from Vinnie’s place
shouting at smartly dressed passerby’s
walking speedily past towards Chelsea
with heads buried in newspapers

Poem: Empty Streets for Empty Souls

Empty streets feel lonely
Even in the yellow lights
Of ever burning street lamps
Casting pale shadows
On late evening wanders
Meandering cracked paths
Leading to locked doors
Shuttered windows dark
No safe harbor in the night