Monday, January 27, 2014

poem of the day 01.27.14


7-11 takes new york city by storm

and i keep wondering
when it happened

it happened right under my nose that’s when

i bought a water at a 7-11
where a used bookstore used to be
and i thought nothing of it at first

but then they started cropping up everywhere

why i counted ten in brooklyn just this month
in places that were once comic book shops
delis and music stores and mom and pop hardware shops

now the gotham sky is emblazoned with that sickly looking
orange and green and white

with ads for big gulps and slurpees
iced coffees to wash down the morning
maple sausage pancake roll

i keep wondering if this is a sign of the apocalypse

i remember wondering that ten years ago
when all of those dunkin donuts started showing up
replacing pizza parlors and hair salons and other used bookstores

i didn’t pull up stakes then
but i’m curious if i should maybe do it now

grab the wife, grab the cat
get ourselves a sack full of subway subs
leave all the possessions and just go

but to where?

somewhere safe with only starbucks and mcdonald’s
burger king and wendy’s to worry about

better the devil you know and all that jazz

i tried to be diplomatic about this
thinking well a job is a job is a job
and certainly someone is working in these 7-11 stores

the buffalo chicken rollers and the 7-select burritos
don’t just appear there under those hot lights

the very berry salad and the cilantro lime bread
aren’t just going to make themselves
or are they?

plus who want one of those jobs?

not to sound un-american
but i’d rather live off the government
than heat up big bites and go-go taquitos all day

or have another corn dog roller for lunch

but i can’t be diplomatic
because 7-11 is taking new york city by storm

and that 7-11 in union square
used to be my dvd store

the one on new utrecht avenue
once made the best black and white cookies

and that one they’re building down on 4th avenue

well, i’m not a religious man
but let’s just say i hope those corporate honchos at 7-11
have made peace with their god.

                     


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