J. Owen Grundy pier
is naked in winter,
the trees are naked,
the wooden deck is bleached nude.
The checkerboard,
green and whole stone,
is naked.
The flag pole is naked.
A new US Flag
is fresh and sailing
waving to the ships
waving to the hungry pigeons.
A pigeon challenges on the checkerboard.
Yellow eyes, blue bar, dark checker feathers
huffed and puffed by the reminder
that though the calendar
says APRIL
it's cold here at the shore of the Hudson.
But if I don't feed him soon
he'll be off to tell
his friends how cheap
I am.
I didn't even bring
the un-popped
popcorn kernels.
Perhaps he likes
cheese slicked corn
or butter - low fat
or plain, best of all?
Where these pigeons eat the peas
sailors turned up their noses at,
the corn is like cheesecake
on this cold naked pier.
The birds can't read
No Pigeon Feeding Allowed.
They have bird brains, you know.
This pier of weather beaten
wood and rusty nails
where we stood
Good Saturday - years ago, now
and brought Gramma, too
to see
the twin lights to the sky.
No ghosts here,
they've made their peace
and moved on - haunted by the sorrow
of earthbound mortals
wondering why.
J. Owen Grundy Park - the rehabilitation blog
Copyright © 2006 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
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