Tattoos on a Hirsute Man

Intricate and subtle
Fine Filigreed lines
Bold brush strokes depicting
Ocean voyages
Sea monsters and
Mermaids

Acts of noble heroism
Chivalrous and kind
Bravery of every ilk
Adventures dangerous
Terrors terrible

Suffered and faced down
By knight and Vassal alike

Stories told in colored
Ink

Bad is Beautiful
RIP Da
4 Ever Love
Mother Rose
Lucky
Skull and Cross Bones
Jolly Roger
Stars and Bars
Eagle sharpens his claws
Talons of mercy
Sons of Anarchy
Celtic Cross
The Boss

All

My nature
By nature

Concealed

"Unreal city...Teru..."

Some say T.S. Elliot was pretentious and verbose and that may well be true. This amalgamation or words into a line seems to effectively convey my emotions during yesterday's trip over the Williamsburg bridge. Eliot wrote about 19th century London. I experience 21st century New York. At sunset, the towers of Manhattan seemed to be ablaze...by night fall...the Bronx was burning.

for Papa Joe Ciulla

Today at 6:17 PM



I am a Veteran
Of Willowbrook Road

There is something
About. A hometown
When you roam streets
Once familiar in youth
Now vaguely strange
In the bright light of
Future. Soon present.

Now past.

Somethings the same
But I...

I Am
Different.

Slower.

Reflecting on those
Who are gone

Sweet smiling faces
Look down and back
From beyond
Martling's Pond

And all fond memories
With that sentimental
Soft focus glow
Tread dirt paths
I used to know
The deep dark soil
Where I used to grow
My imagination

Where everything
Was a dream

And the impossible
Nothing