73rd Street

73rd street

rasping cough explodes

from cold, $2.00 room.

Leon peers through

filth-clouded glass, across

snow winter-scape at sparkling,

snow covered everything--

fretful city sleeps.

his keen sight flicks from one scene to

next--

from anonymous hookers opposite corner

to sleepless steeples of death churches

marching city skyline,

out of sight until his gaze is caught

by darkness of city’s edge where night bandits

lurk, planning early morning breakings--

droogs each one, snarling eyes, blank, with

avaricious, sneak-thief sight.

city’s heart incandescent glowing,

sounds seize his sight to witness

three bums, alley entrance quarrel over last drops

from bottomed out bottle of thunderbird swill--

his sight quickens,

red lights, blue lights--

fire erupts from four story tenement cross

his own street.

“poor bastards,” his thin-edged mind, smirks.

woman jumps from 2nd floor window,

lands in white snow, freezes deadly.

broken arms, breathes last breath, face of an

angel, seventeen-years-old, body bag bound;

its zipper is heard in seven kingdoms.

from his eyes tears fall for her freedom.

dragging soiled kerchief, wipes them away,

stares at heaven’s light; twinkling holes enclosed

in perfect blackness.

window sill where he leans,

freezing cockroach walks slowly past, mind alert

for food.

Leon watches, benevolently strokes red-brown

back once, and spits on the sill.

cockroach slurps sustenance joyfully.

warm again,

accelerates its pace.

vcp