The East Village

by Cameron Glass

Entertainment for the world,

Icecream scoopers of hardware,

Playing with hobbies and the Nation's talk shows;

Laughing, hushin, strolling.

City of diversity

Tell me you are evil and I deny them,

for I have seen your happy

corner coffee shops, sprinkled with people.

And they tell me you are crazy

and I answer: Yes, it is true.

I have seen the heroin junkies

loose their minds in the open.

And tell me you are tiring and

my reply is: On the faces of women and children I have seen

the marks of dirt and long days.

And having answered so I turn once more to those who spit

at this, my city, and I give them

the spit back and say to them:

Come show me another city with

perfect, flawless people so

happy to be alive and breathing

and working and tired.