from the collection LAVENDER MONKEYS
 

      When the cars pass by so fast, bending the neon into long rainbow bands of colors over the windshield and down the sidewalks around the hips of the girls who promenade, what a sight what a sight!  In this distraction breaking down’s a gamble but a long-cherished pleasure—what you savor is what you get, and what you lose is dangerous.  See the manhole covers lifting in the road just up ahead?  See the cats swinging from the streetlights?
      Late-night weddings are best.  The church bells curl stars down a long corkscrew from heaven and pop the cork to two hearts.  Rice thrown high into the air stays suspended till the lovers are licking one another into smooth popsicles.  Laying back is cool and feels right, but it only works if you know the value of sharing a time.  Heaven hand me a wishbone.  Samson send me Delilah.  I be bald anywhooo.
      The skin on my head’s so tight everything bounces off just right, my bananas are bouncing in the back seat, this is delightful.  I’m struttin’ my buns off.  Give me some free space, my turn, I’m out there wonder wonder like drunk somethin’ sweet sarsaparilla soft drink fabulous is the body flashing my spine so on, "Hey!  Wanna go for a ride?"
      Coming around again is a fine air toy coolin’ its jets for a landing.  (Rest is a part of all motion—that’s scientific, and wonderful.)  Follow the signs to the next major intersection and don’t hit no one.  Check out the big house on the hill.  If it looks good to you come on in and loosin’ up.  There’s a challenge, sure, but oh oh over the rainbow.  You got a steering wheel, and you got insurance—but you don’t need ‘em.  You gotta look off to the side to really go forward.  Don’t know where you are be thankful.  Pull clouds down by the collar, stars by the eyes, swallow every temperature you find it’s medicine it’s hoppin’ out of the sick cage.  Here’s where I get off.
      City hell yeah sure spicy community.  City all over, keep your eyes on.  City no matter what the hell y’ever sure about some spicy chance flip your community.  Come on city all over, sure keep your eyes on.  Sometimes city spines go soft and splatter but hell fever sure scouts out the spicy dancer’s hip your city community comes all over your sleepin’ eyes, keepin’ on.  So you sometimes lose city crimes over chatter, often sharp guts sever your doubts hell yes and laugh and running slip on the fantastic enticing community all eyes dream on, dream on.  Taking this town’s a gamble but your strong treasure flourishes when you choose city time over flatter, often heartless moments never tell you about special chances, flamingos sunning their nipples on the fast strip, sizing up the opportunities dreaming all eyes, all eyes.  Here we all over, shakin’ down the sham, bleedin’ what you long cherish forever such a favor, such a bet, such a playful noose, swingin’ from the flagpole no pity, no Simple Simon no mad hatter to soften unguarded advances, but fella never doubt momentum unless you’ll gun wings boomerang over the air strip, nasty sizzling, flying up the possibilities seems so nice...  so nice...  City all over, keep your eyes on.
      (Applause)
      City all over, don’t be no slave.  I can see the light comin’.  That’s right!  Yeah that’s the way!  Take it!

 

 
 
 
R Bartkowech

Copyright © 2000 by R Bartkowech