published in the August 1995 issue of Seven Arts Magazine
CITY BOOK SHOP 4-12-95
(To Leonard Gontarek and the City Book Shop
The 12th &Pine area has been the scene of armed robberies and….)
“Give me all your Poems
and noone gets hurt”
I wanted to shout
but Leonard would of not found it finny,
grimaced, not found it at all, possibly,
after opening the door, locked now,
due to non-paronoic fear, of guns and those who use them,
after opening the book store door
to people he knew were safe
if occasionally pretentious.
- “Give me all your Poets,
and noone gets hurt.”
Where is the worth, the value and urgency of words,
when guns bullets and blood
speak in louder and heavier tones
Leonard could be in Media, Delaware County
or some other place
less urban
safer but quieter
calmer but
without that urban edge
he’s made the choice to stay
this time. For an uncertain now
________________________
- “Give me all your haikus
some of your verdenelles
only your Pemuchian Sonnets
and a smattering of 1980s neo-Beat Writers,,,”
This is a place to come for coffee
for old books
for Poets and Poems
where only time should be killed
where entrance and exit should be free
and without thought
perhaps the unthinkable has happaied
that one must always think, now,
in this modern city
before one sets out a foot
from die safety of the locked door
from the sanctity
of the suburbs
from the womb
of the home…
CITY BOOK SHOP 4-12-95
(To Leonard Gontarek and the City Book Shop
The 12th &Pine area has been the scene of armed robberies and….)
“Give me all y
___________________________
- “Give me all your Poets,
and noone gets hurt.”
Where is the worth, the value and urgency of words,
when guns bullets and blood
speak in louder and heavier tones
Leonard could be in Media, Delaware County
or some other place
less urban
safer but quieter
calmer but
without that urban edge
he’s made the choice to stay
this time. For an uncertain now
_______________________
- “Give me all your haikus
some of your verdenelles
onlyyour Pemuchian Sonnets
and a smattering of 1980s neo-Beat Writers,,,”
This is a place to come for coffee
for old books
for Poets and Poems
where only time should be killed
where entrance and exit should be free
and without thought
perhaps the unthinkable has happaied
that one must always think, now,
in this modern city
before one sets out a foot
from die safety of the locked door
from the sanctity
of the suburbs
from the womb
of the home….
of
robertthesmall 