Spring Garden -- Philadelphia

Spring Garden wears a welfare coat —
in the summer . . .


Fashion minded eyes trod up & down
its streets enjoying graffiti —
sprinkled on the walls by bored fingers/
bored thoughts/from excitement lacking espiritus-


It's 8 o'clock in the morning & latin bodies
bundle up to war against the city —
children venture on their suicide mission
SCHOOL/a battlefield of non-existent education


Libraries are open 22 sundays a year . . .


The parents have headed off their cares to do
battle themselves . . .
The factories/the bosses/the foremen former
countrymen compais . . .


Cold callous metal concrete city streets where smiles come hungry from the eternal
bill collector . . .


It's 12 pm & fist fights break out on the
charity lunch lines . . .
empty trouble soothing wine bottles are
tossed regretfully in the gutter —
Flies/bugs/maggots/roaches struggle for the
corner taste
the human tongues didn't reach . . .


The pushers are up from their beauty sleep
counting last nite's take — discounting today's
pay-off . . .


   decking duces & treys . . .


their open air pharmacy on 14 & green is
being held by Don Ernesto el bolitero-
giving Doña Clara evil brujo stares —
Evil brujo stares to Doña Clara la espiritista
& the starving crowd beggin' el señor santo
to agree with Doña Clara's dreams & omen interpretations
for once . . . por favor today is a good day to hit
the number . . .


Doña Clara prays too . . .
there's a fifty dollar tip in store
mira mira me pegué & a trip pa' la isla . . .


A mucho needed vacation . . .


It's 6 pm & the latin people who go dancing
are copping nickle bags of good columbian yerba
(Eddie Palmieria will be in town tonite)


   SALSA


who's got the best smoke in town Flaco
Tabaco-Tabaco suelto y en saco


an american proverb:


"If you don't advertise — you don't sell". . .


El Bodeguero is cursing his wife/his helper/
his-self he ordered enough milk but not
enough beer . . ./'cause
the day has given up to the nite &
the ghetto is hot . . .


La calle is occupied/shrill shreaking
sounds of ring go leevio . . . hide & seek
up & down the street . . .
young girls in tight jeans flirt with long
haired youths . . . who offer
whistles & comments & promises


Oye, negra ¿to eso tuyo?
¡Si te cojo, nena!
¡Qué lio te buscará!!!!

¡Pero qué buena está la hija!!!
¡Pero qué buena está la mamá!!!!
The turf is filled with jibaro y salsa música
que viva la música . . .


Stoops are now tournament centers for domino
playing friends . . .
bandstands for conga playing hands . . .
tu cul pa cul pa . . . boom pa . . . boom pa . . .


There's a lovers' argument in the middle of the block
a heated argument in the bar . . .
a family argument on the steps . . .
¡Me cago en tu madre hijo la gran puta!!!!
¡La tuya que me comadre!!!


Police car has circled this barrio 5 times
screaming birth has been heard in apt 3
silent death has visited next door . . . O. D.


It's 11 pm & 8 tired wrinkled old faces
sit & contrive memories on the steps of
the youth department . . .


And now as I go back in Rosita's car
to my lonely hotel . . . that warm safe secure feeling
escapes from my body . . .


and I remember that I am in Philadelphia
and not on the lower east side . . .