SAD FAREWELL

SAMPLE

(Free Stuff on the Streets of New York)

When we moved
Into the hood
Drugs were easy to
Get
Coke and weed

But the best
Things Are Free

The sun blazed on
A late afternoon
And was pleasant
Even if it
Was early January
And the air itself
Froze inside your
Nose
Sterilizing  bronchi
With
          Each
                     Inhale

Still people stop
From brisk walking
To peruse a box
Of books, trinkets
And a chest of
Drawers curbside

Leafing through
Dante’s Inferno
And an IKEA creation
Wondering

How to get it
Back 5 blocks
And up four flights

In some bars
At happy hour
Blue flamed sternos
Warm wings and
Jalapeño poppers

For the price of a
Guinness or two
You can dine there
Most days of the
Week

Outside the arena
On game day
Samples of soaps
And creams
And sometimes
Dreams
Flow from
Bottomless plastic
Barrels

Thursday is bulk trash
Day
And furniture
Found on sidewalks
Really paved with gold

Filled our studio
In early 4th floor
Over-heated eclectic style

The City giveth
Weekly as
We walked
Naked
Through someone's former
Possessions

Happy to have
Found free stuff
On the streets
Of New York

We made love on
Sundays
To the chime
Of
Church bells

So thankful
For smiles
Laughter
And tears

Flowing like red wine
We tasted
At the free
Tastings!

And it was

Orphan’s Christmas

At SAMPLE

And Orphan’s Halloween

And everything

In between

Now glittered skulls

And garland

Fill paper boxes

Becoming part of the

Free Stuff

On the Sidewalks

Of New York

East side

West side

All around the town

We come up out of

The F Train

And settle ourselves

Down.

There was Maio and Heather,

Janine and Rollins too

Serving up Ploughman’s platters

Wine and spirits too

We would go there often

As often as we could

And always left

So happy

That SAMPLE was in the hood