east hastings, el mundo

inanimate as statues
passive as early morning rolls
over their stake of sidewalk
even the cement impregnated with
their rank odour of crusted neglect

no hint of wonder, of surprise
in the dilated, listless eyes
theirs is a community
of misery, sickness and
premature death

halting breaths are
punctured, penetrated, punctuated
by the loveless strokes
of commercial sex
and the needle’s plunge
to momentary ecstasy

the clinkety buggy wheel rumble
of the scavenger offroad convoy
is survival’s symphony
in a muted key
a chorus of solitary echos

they are us
we are them
in our separateness
through choice, circumstance, misfortune
we are them
they are us
in our impregnable worlds
where is the love

See wikipedia’s take on Downtown Eastside Vancouver

round and round

got a gentle squeeze
on the accordion bus
pumped up and down
memory lane

in one bending corner
shrinking and stretching
in one breath of moment
i was laughing right next to you

you danced the floating circle
small fingers extended
a paper bag princess
taming a bucking urban dragon

got a gentle squeeze
on the accordion bus
a little girl you were
in one breath of be

pinkies plus eight

i kiss exquisite toes
lingering wriggles on my lips
ten perfectly sugared
piggies
dancing on their tips

i taste delicious toes
watering morsels in my mouth
ten fragrant smiling
petals
blossoming down south

i dream laughing toes
tickling twinkles in my eyes
ten warm happy babies
for our nellie-rose surprise

A moment of

Nellie-Rose is behind me in our office breathing sonorously. She’s wrapped dream-deep in her Phil and Ted cocoon, snug in a stroller that won’t move far today. Big brother Noah-David is one wall away in the living-room triumphant in cotton training pants. Another stream of pee has been successfully whizzed into the potty and he has reaped a sweet reward of mini-marshmallows. He is hanging with one of his extended animated families, Toupie and Binou  laughing at their memorable antics  as he flies his wooden plane high in the sky. Today our world could not be finer. Grandparents were by for a visit, an installment of cuddles, kisses and smiles not to mention some drool, spit and coquetterie. They showered us with small easter prezzies – chocolates and clothes and the sky was blue bright with a whispering promise of spring.