blog of poet, leah umansky

Why O’Hara Would Have My Back

                                                So many beauties.  and  you thought New Yorkers

                                                were so friendly so hospitable; so open so kind.

                                                You thought this city was great for  bicyclists,

                                                but that we had a poor program for garbage 

                                                removal.

(You bet, we do !)

Why, out of a city of so many girls, did you have to turn up the charm on me.      

                                                                                                                        Well, you did good!

Maybe next time, you’ll actually try participating

For the Love of God!

                                                                                And maybe you’ll try to have a little heart,

Maybe learn to express yourself even at your ripe old age.

We all do bad things, but you were afraid.                                   (of what, you’re asking: that I’d scream at you?)

How pathetic!

Why that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard — what are we prehistoric?

                                                             Do we not have words and intelligence?

Man is still so dumb-founded and fruitless with his thumbs.      

                                (though, you actually used them with purpose)

If I had to hear one more time about how you can see the Empire State Building

from your window,                                              well,

                                                                                                I’d slash your curtains.

I’d make your bedroom the brightest of all the apartments on 2^nd avenue.

                                then,                       (are you scared?)                 then,

 I’d take all of your earplugs, and have a street party down below.

                                                                I’d pirate your sanity.         

I hate the way you’d gloat shit like:                                                 

                                                                                                                “I just ate a whole avocado

                                                                                                                while you were washing up.”

Yes. Yes, that’s terrific.                        (what are you, five?)

It’s true this is the City that never sleeps,

                                                                                                but I know how to knock myself out.               

I am done with the miserable.                                          

                                                I hope you enjoy the hellhole of the East Village at 3am.

Let the:

                 fire-engine screams and ambulance sirens

                forever deafen you; 

                                the fights of homeless people down on the street corner

                                forever frighten you;

                                                                the wafting of Indian curries up your fire escape

                                                                forever suffocate you,

                and the conversation about “growing a set”

                forever haunt you.

We pay a lot for who we allow into our lives.                 So Long!

                                                                                                                                                     Farewell!

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© Umansky 2011