Street Music

       by Arnold Adoff   

                         T h i s    c i t y:

                         t h e

                         a l w a y s

                           n o i s e               

                         g  r  i  n  d  i  n  g

                         up     from     the

                         s u b w a y s

                         u n d e r

                           g r o u n d:               

                         slamming from bus tires

                         and taxi horns and engines

                         of cars and trucks in all      

                         v  o  c  a  b  u  l  a  r  i  e  s

                                                                      of

                         clash

                         flash

                         screeching

                         hot  metal    l a n g u a g e

                           c  o  m  b  i  n  a  t  i  o  n  s:

                              as    p l a n e s

                                o v e r h e a d

                                             r o a r               

                         an

                         o r c h e s t r a

                         of rolling  drums

                         and battle blasts

                         assaulting

                                        my ears     

                         w i t h

                         t h e

                         a l w a y s

                            n o i s e   of     

                         t h i s   c i t y:

                         street    music.