LIZZIE

i watch the trolley pass by my window
the church bells are tolling at 10 p.m.
it's pretty late for the bells to be going off
but there's a new pastor, father dave.

phil drives by in his cop car
on his way to the Stop n Shop parking lot
i drive over and he has chinese for us tonight.
the yankees are on the radio
they are playing the red sox.
we eat our food abreast
in our separate cars
listening to the game.

lizzie, the town madwoman
walks up and down the neighborhood
with her grocery cart and belongings
spewing profanities at driversby.

she wasn't always mad.
she was a beautiful lady in our day.
we remember her coming out of church
with her pretty summer dresses
and long blonde hair
and coming for tea.

lizzie approaches us and asks
how my mother is doing
then tells phil they're coming for her
they are going to kill her.
she turns to me and says 'i knew you
when you were this big,'
then hands me rosary beads and says
God will save me.

the car radio comes on and says
there's a 1013 in progress on belleville ave.
'see you tomorrow, bird' he says putting the food away.
'be careful,' i say.'
then i drive home
and watch the rest of the game.

Reviews

[NeiL ArandA]

I know what 1013 means . So they took her . This is a crisis. For her own safety and others as well.

[m.s.early]

you have such unique character illustrations. you poems depict so many sketches at one time. i'm always captivated at the plots and subplots winding around each other.