spring came /
the same way winter left
& summer will come
& summer will leave; slowly
/ when no one's expecting it
when people are tired of waiting
like waiting for welfare checks /
a long wait/ a slow wait
the windows are open
but butterflies don't fly in
to display a sense of love
/ only housefly enter
to sit on food & eat crumbs
& dreams escape /
& become stolen & lost & used
& wasted & thrown away
& dreamed anew
the junkies sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams
/ maybe into the ones which escaped
& stinkball is played
& on warm nights the ghetto musicians play
our ghetto song
on garbage can tops & bang on empty coke bottles
& sound real chévere
: tomorrow
the junkies will sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams /
stickball will be played /
the streets will become chalked
with 1st and 2nd & 3rd bases
hop scotch will become a game
& tops will spin on sidewalks /
& everyone will anticipate summer.