The LA Pantry

By ralph

Fri, 14 Jun 2013
  • 1328 reads
3 comments
 

Downtown Los Angeles,
December 23 1989.
They film a lot of scenes.

We have something to eat
at the LA Pantry.
Great coleslaw,
vile lamb chops.

No women work here.

“That’s been the rule for forty years mister.”

The guy sweeping
the polished floor.
I swear he is
Humphrey Bogart.

He does not smile,
raise his head.

Afterwards
on the pavement
I am accosted.

A young Mexican
wants to sell me
a Christmas Tree.

“This is the best tree in LA my friend.”

He has a beautiful smile.

I give him three dollars,
wish him a Merry Christmas.

I decline the tree.

Big deals.
Small change.
In this city of angels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgtk-tnR2iM&feature=player_embedded

Certificate U
Poem
California Diary
Journal

Comments

Submitted by hudsonmoon on
Loved it. Sounds like something out of a Tom Waits song. And that's good thing. Rich

 

Submitted by scratch on
I like it too Ralph. I conveys a certain vulnerability or at least it does to me. I can't really say why it does that, I suppose that it is the atmosphere of the piece that does it. Really good.

 

Submitted by Weefatfella on

Aye, a good write.

This>>I give him three dollars,

wish him a Merry Christmas.

I decline the tree.

Gives a feeling of the city and the acceptance of city dwellers.

( At least the guy went out his way to try and sell a tree rather than just asking for money.)

Big deals.
Small change.
In this city of angels.

Sums up every city on the planet.

I enjoyed this.

Weefatfella.

 

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