POEM
How do I reconcile you
sweet slice of juicy pineapple
pampered and
protected from the Northern frost
happily settled in a crystal cradle
shared by raspberries blackberries and papaya
deploying perfumes
seducing the palates of executives
conferring in the climate-controlled skyscrapers
of Manhattan?
How do I reconcile you
with the raw Bronx
into which I jump
where men and boys jump with cold
chewing fat with sharp street wise eyes
awaiting the verdict
unprotected from the prolific vermin
that scurry across the frozen
phlegm-covered sidewalks?
