PENNY-candy
the fifties and sixties: decades or mere holes in the roads which. .
shocked control, birthed rock and roll, leaving molars corroded
men with brandy, pretty women - the parents` hope was showing stags
that teens could still leave the candy stores with overflowing bags
returning was golden; now springtime, beyond the level of carols
dad stared ablazingly reverent into the depths of the barrels
vacationing, the families riches shed as rags raptured tags. .
that exposed their blue collars. . while dad filled bag after bag
a contagious smile, his age beguiled: he had broken past fears
& bathed in youth for just a moment, as he approached the cashier
"this is great - remember this?!" locked up, in seperate baggies
he could taste the pixi dust and good ol` peppermint patties
weighing & counting, he looked on: a hopeless, poor old father
who never expected a candy bill amassing over forty dollars
he had to put it back in its barrels; frowning, he ended the sale
concealing a blue visa card, everyone knew his credit had failed
noone saw the bulge in his pocket, his eyes meager and porous
we figured that the mark in his khakis were the keys to his taurus
back in our room, he remained silent - usually dapper in speech . .
he said he`d "take a lonely walk," as he strapped to his feet
the penny loafers, exiting slowly - it stands as an amazing retort
his family didn`t breathe in their neverending gaze at the door
they waited `til midnight; perhaps drinking, his bottle was home
hope dwindled until the next morning when the doctor would phone
they said "heart attack;" that response would scold and sin flaws. .
in lax police forces. . `sides, that`s what she had told the in-laws
but we knew; now empty pockets, his fun and life was abridged
black licorice wrapped around his neck as he hung from the bridge
lifeless.
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