Eulogy for Times Square (1989)

janey is on her hands and knees
and the room is a chorus
of gutter sounds and flies unzipping
and she wants to puke
because the carpet smells
like cigarettes and sweat
why did she drink so many shots

but johnny’s mouth was so pretty
when he kissed her
it tasted like peppermint stars
falling all around her
making even the bathroom stall
feel like outer space

YOU GO TIGER
yells gene the queen
and janey flips him the finger
SHUT YER FREAKIN HOLE
YA NEVER TIP YA BASTARD
and all the fat baldies laugh
and toss dollar bills on the stage

this was not my father’s times square
it was not sad
it was not apologetic
it was the face of need
and it would not hide its desire
or disappointment

this times square glared at you
with big tits
PEEP SHOW
PEEP SHOW
PEEP SHOW

this times square screamed at you 
about the coming of black jesus
COME INSIDE
COME INSIDE
COME INSIDE

it was the sly smile of the hustler
a boyish face scarred with acne

it was the beat artist
passing baby laxative for dope

it was condom wrappers
and broken glass

it was acetylene bags and busted works
caked with hepatitis

and it was you
the only peace I’ve ever known
sitting in the tub on a hot august night
track marks glistening in soapy water

and it was you
the only peace I’ve ever known
floating on that high as I washed your hair

and it was you 
cooing like a wild dove
cooing like the pigeons outside our window 
at the carter hotel

and it was you
listening to the gunfire and clatter
of drunks falling into trashcans

and it was you
laughing because it was never truly summer
until someone got murdered in times square.