Washington Square Park In Fall

Washington Square Park on a fall afternoon cool breeze blowing ‘neath a water blue sky. Kids on a concrete hill riding skateboard bikes frolic on the jungle gym laughing children’s shrieks. Young girl on a park bench in a blue-jeaned sneakered pose scribbles in a notebook and dreams some faraway thought. Black youth by the garbage can rusty red bucket dented mumbles to the passersby disjointed joints for sale. White youth tossing pigskin in his stylish sports fatigues tanned and bronzed like summer muscles rippling on the green. The middle-aged Joes play chess black/white castles on the block they send their dreams to battle on ordered squares inert. Old men sit in patience cross their legs and heave a sigh watching leaves go tumbling past them like a memory drifting… (Previously published in Ixion, Winter 2000, Issue 9)