Wednesday, December 04, 2019

streetlights

traversing up to the ridges
     and above the ridges
along perrysville avenue
and the charles street valley
leave orange sodium glare
where there were once houses
bouncing off bare hillsides
     hillsides we climbed nearly sixty years ago
when it still snowed

and below
in the river valleys
streetcars sang through hairpin curves
and car barn turn-a-rounds

wet snow stuck to you
then soaked you through
until your legs itched
and then drying off
next to a hot radiator
taking the heat inside
     you didn't mind the gray winter

the bottom of buena vista street
led into the park
a footbridge over railroad tracks
frozen in time
marking your first steps
on your own

--- e b bortz

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