waitin for the messiah down on federal street

circa 1963, northside pittsburgh

by the end of november

there's a cow bell clanging salvation
just across from the kenyon theatre

as mouse & me stop at the crowded candy store

with the pinball machine that scarfs up
our last two nickels

from there it's just the wilderness

of the 6th street bridge
and the cold mist off the allegheny

but as we reach halfway across the water

a big pink cadillac convertible comes roaring thru
with the top down heading up federal street

we turnaround quick & see the top of a black fedora

& cigarette smoke blowing upward
like the sign of a new pope

this all stops us in our tracks

not knowing what this all symbolizes
digging into our pockets for loose change

which i swear was given up just ten minutes earlier

nonetheless
finding & flinging our offerings

off into the river

--- e b bortz