my father
handed out towels
to the Republican elite
to dry themselves
after a workout
a dip in the pool
a shower
before they went home
to that perfect life
in Westchester County
while he took the subway
to Jamaica
caught the Bee Line Bus
home
90 minutes
if he was lucky
to a warmed up plate
at 9pm
of pasta e fagioli
the only heaven
he knew
heaven
heaven
sleep
without dreams
a variation on a line from Li Po: image of heaven
a light
burns there
in the distance
guiding one home
on the way
toward one’s image
of heaven
heaven
sleep
uninterrupted
no dreams
a glimpse of heaven perhaps
there are some dreams
we hope
not to awake from
a glimpse of heaven
perhaps
a taste of desired
eternity
cleansing the world
the road wet
from last night’s rain
a cleansing
of this world
with the tears
of heaven
on balloons: for Little Chuck & Big Chuck
hope rises
like it’s supposed to
a balloon
floating
toward heaven
our eyes cannot see
but it is there
above us
keeping dreams
alive
mussels & clams
they call
mussels
clams
but hey
a rose is
a rose
and a mussel
is a clam
there was raggae
playing
reminding me
of Peter Tosh
and Toots
and the Maytals
so you know
I was in
heaven
actually Alsancak
but close
enough
mussels clams
whatever
bring them on
kiddo
there’s a hole
in my stomach
just waiting
to be filled
Leonard Durso 