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Open Poetry #39
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Paterson
| Open Poetry #39 |
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Paterson |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass 
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Paterson Down Straight Street by the river you could get a hotdog or lose one; all that a matter of right ascension and personal declination, as much as the hidden stalls along the farmer's market where the real stuff was sold. It was never the choice among turnips or the balled Italian cheeses dangling above like bull dreams, too heavy in their fishnet scrota. I remember he watched me, statue-faced among the produce destined wives pacing their resignation through piles of softening cabbage; his blond eyes out of place, one hand ready for what would happen. And I, unsure of why but hoping he would never get my license number. [This message has been edited by Ratleader (09-09-2006 12:49 AM).] |
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| © Copyright 2006 Ed Ratledge - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
Backstory...... Paterson is a rough, mostly Greek and Italian city in New Jersey.....at the corner of River and Straight Streets was an absolute dump of a place called Johnny And Hange’s, where you could get the best hotdog ever made, bar none..... ...and the farmer's market....a gritty city farmer's market, what can I say? ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Your images are so vivid I can SMELL the place... oregano-laden... and this slice of life you give us is as tasty as those hot dogs must have been! *S* Gritty... so very human... a world away from suburbia no matter how short the drive. And yes... the chill of a look... This is superb!!! *S*  |
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Dublin Boy Member
since 2006-08-26
Posts 102UK |
A brilliantly descriptive and atmospheric piece--you really bring the scene to life and I like the element of unease you introduce in the concluding lines. Cheers, Bill |
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Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
Your use of sights, sounds and smells, took me there. A most excellent piece Ed. Hugs~Nancy Now - while the leaves still dance on the wind |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ed..You are such an excellent writer...I hope to see more and more poems of yours...because I like to read them...yep! This was like going somewhere I have never been... |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
The worst of it is, last time I was in Jersey, made a special trip to Johnny And Hange's, all primed for one or three of those dogs.... Boarded up -- Dang! ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
I see somebody else shared my experience, and did something about it! http://ka1rci.net/ka1rci_packet/hotdogs!.html ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
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