A walk around the block in my parents’ neighborhood at dawn
wearing mom’s sweater and pop's sneakers with a clown hole cut out for  
      toe infection
I was stopped by a cop in a cruiser
this was during the Vietnam War long hair ago
he was angry at everyone I was offended by everything
he said which way are you going I said which way are you going
so he socked me in the mouth and handcuffed me
I was arraigned on disorderly conduct and resisting arrest
my good parents came down and stood beside me before the judge
I wrote to the police department internal affairs
not for retribution but to start a paper trail
in case this cop someday bopped one of my brothers
a few months later I’m back at work in NYC
two detectives come into the city to question me
one good cop one bad cop we park in the park me in the back seat
they wanna know was I mouthy to the cop who punched me in the mouth
long story short
they leave me on a bench to eat my lunch and the charges are dropped

The businesses closed,

quiet in the streets, and yet --


crowded in the parks.

A little green grew
in the grey and grey blue
in a world that was dusty and dark
in the form of a flower
with colours to devour
that could turn a city into a park
But the crowd passing by
in the black and black tie
hardly took the time or knew
through the crack in the strife
the hues and colours of life
blossoming beneath their shoe
yet stretching out its wild leaves
with a beauty to please
It was a sad, sad trample amidst the scuffle
the busy people passing by
who would not raise an eye
wondered “what scent was so, so wonderful?”
but the crushed fragrance blown
was all that was known
though they knew not what it was
for they’d never seen
that little, little green
it’s just the smell they now speak of

Burger King and minivans
U.S. flags with gasoline
Tiny products of capital grand
Yes I live the American Dream:

Fill your gas, choose the which
Buy your lives and burn the roads
Buy our flag, come second hand
Take their house and take it proud:
Kick the crazy, tent the downed
Skyscrapers prove the money-load:
Hate the other, I'm better than
No place is greater than on American soil:
Yes I live the American Dream

Yes I live the American Dream

The sky had darkened
From fire smoke from the East
The river flows with garbage
Smelling like rotting flesh
It was warm
There was nothing to excite the body
Or delight the eyes
Everything had the shadow
Of disappointment
Even the birds
Have given up singing their song
(Tell me dear reader,
Do you have the time to be strong?)
All I can do
Is wait for the rain
To wash it all along

floating around like bees
buzzing sounds
heavy traffic
one light flickers

sleepless cities
bouncing off the walls like birds on a tree
flying from one place to the next

silence.

in the deep deep night,
silence.

morning sun
to light the day

your eyes and mine
sleepless
sleepless
sleepless

moving slowly from place to place

heavy.

birds chirping
babies crying
buzzing
buzzing

around and around
among us

loud.

louder now
but oh so quiet