Monday, August 13, 2012

An Ode to the Lower East Side of New York

  
                               My grandfather was a butcher,
                               And my father cut the meat,
                               And I'm a little hot dog,
                               That runs around the street.
                             As everyone was an immigrant,
                             We were all very poor,

                             
                             But as we started to gain traction,
                             We moved to the suburbs more and more.

                              We were replaced by Black folks,
                              Who were the "new" very poor,
                              But they too outgrew Delancey Street,
                              And Puerto Ricans came to the fore.


                              The Latinos chose to stay there,
                              And they made the Lower East Side their home,

                                     And now the place is gentrified,
                                     And they are not alone.


                                     Where once stood only tenements,
                                     There now stand some coffee shops,
                                     And also Schillers' Liquor Bar,
                                     To Commemorate my Pops.


                                        And to add to the rich culture
                                        There's now Shakespeare In The Park(ing) Lot
                                        It's happening all summer,
                                        And it surely hits the spot.

                                       So let me say to everyone,
                                       That enjoys this fun event,
                                       It all started from some immigrants,
                                       Who sold hot dogs to pay their rent.

2 comments:

  1. This is awesome, El. I just posted about it on FB. Let's see if it goes viral!

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  2. Great photos Dad. The poem is cute, but a little weak by literary standards. Hee hee. Steph

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