A pair of new shoes.
Ancient Amos’ retail value, the purchase price
For what’s left of the life of a poor man.
Not too bad a deal, unless you are the man.
One prescription,generic antibiotic for tiny ears and the fever
Of night—the purchase price for one more shred of
A father’s, a mother’s dignity willingly offered up
In a crowded place of charity instead of life.
High tech preservation of the good life whirls nearby,
With new robotics and life-scanners projecting full-color
Images of the insides of those with deep pockets and policies,
Clearing minds and hearts of a reality just a block away.
A penny for your thoughts, about as prophetic as we get,
While children cry and mothers pray and fathers wince against
The plight that is their city, the place of light and games
And the new—clearly as old as Amos himself.
High steeples point up to Heaven to keep from facing Earth,
Minds stolen away from the street
By the power of salvation’s lure,
Have it all and don’t look back—
Amos’ tears still fall.
[First posted on January 8, 2005]
"While children cry and mothers pray and fathers wince...."
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, but you and I both know that out there exists a spiritual and some kinda secular grace that leads us to do something, however mean, against the dark.
We could maybe tangle about a lot of things. But I say there is so much need but also so much good.
And I say also All Hail to Smokin' Joe Frazier.
I remember reading this the day that it first posted and weeping with excitement that I would soon be working with you. I wrote this a few weeks later, on my first day of work on that coooold MLK Day in 2005:
ReplyDeletehttp://jeremygregg.com/poetry/in-his-service-poem/
I miss you, Larry. Thank you for all that you do to keep Amos' song alive in the winds of the city's cold streets...
JG
Jeremy, I miss you too, Captain! You are the best. We'll be hooked up again at some point, and even now we fight on the same side in the same war! Up river, yea blokes!
ReplyDeleteThis will not actually have effect, I think so.
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