§*.....new york......*§

strawberry fields with a shrine to lennon and trash on the sidewalks,
a restaurant that threw me out because it was so high class i was
unworthy, skinheads casually leaning in a doorway smoking; a most
lovely smell was carried on the breeze wafting as i passed- hair spikes
flipping off the world though wanting love like everyone else, feet resting
backwards on the graffiti walls behind them, endless streets full of the
most brilliant life i've ever experienced, and a dead man i walked over in
manhattan like everybody else- there was no stopping for the people
kept moving forward in a push of hurry, an endless stream of bodies off
to who knew where- or why- though in greatest need to be there right
now yesterday, walking and walking, sitting and walking, i ended up in
greenich village which was a wonder of wonders, alive was the air, sweet
the scents of the streets, the shops all calling my piqued interest- beads,
leather, feathers, art, all mannor of curiosities from rooftops to ground,
laundry hanging high above my head, blues, stripes, towels, blankets,
underware, and ever present bluejeans floating gently in the winds- wild
silks and batiks, an array of chains and other menacing trinkets, and
paint in many colours as far as one's eye could see, sirens in the
distance and nonchalant non concern by the collective masses, a dog
peeing behind a fence wearing a sign saying 'no dogs allowed' even the
animals here have hearty attitudes, dogs dressed as children, a doberman
boldly sniffing my out-stretched fingers as the owner scowls at me and
bitterly reads me the riot act- whilst his big mean doggie licks my palm;
smiling, rats big as cats standing straight up with dignity demanding a
treat all in the face of lady liberty; as she ever holds her torch of welcome
to the ungrateful, the lost, the hungry, the tired, the poor and the new life
seekers, those who left all and everything they know behind in a life to be
forgotton; like my ancestors did- coming from prague leaving my famous
violyn creating uncle behind before he was famous- now there is a statue
of him and we are all dispersed- people coming to be a part of life in this
radiant city that never sleeps, or does so with one wary eye open, and
twenty locks and deadbolts on their doors, the hallways of living spaces-
i call them that for they were small, dirty and smelling of all the city held
in an unopened box for centuries; hallways dark and scary, now in the
bad part of town though ignorant and ever fearless- i rode the L around
and over harlem and watched from above on the rails as cars were burned
below and block parties were held and life was a myriad of wonder, i am
never able to remember how long i was there, it was not long enough- i
should have stayed; lived by cbgb and carved my bohemian life out there,
amongst songs of the times, watching history in the making- if i had been
but a bit earlier i could have given my best to save sid from nancy, and i
would have for i still think he's cute, alas we cannot save anyone from
their destiny, and walking along the streets here i found so much i have
carried with me ever since, heart memories precious;
unlike another unforgiving city-

§*......los angeles......*§

i hitched across the country searching for a cousin who after happily
finding her- also tossed me out in the streets with nothing after i de-
flead her stupid hairy husky malamute beast and was bitten a
thousand times; little red welts everywhere as i looked for any work
so i could eat- finding a place where mexicans cooked and did nasty
things outside between shifts in dirty streets in broken into cars,
then coming inside wanting me to teach them english- a futile waste
of time, i detested this place of angels though the beaches were amusing,
and watching the sea as it ebbed and flowed over and over, in and out,
morning and night was truly beautiful, i shared a house eventually with
twelve drugged out and bizarre individuals that wanted little rent and less
attention than i was willing to give them anyhow, one was a martial artist
that taught me a few moves, i felt pretty high and mighty then, on top of
the world and all able to defend myself, so- i hiked all over those hot dry
hills of hell and hated every minute of it- though i met a couple that was
holistic, mad into vitamins and had a sea turtle as a pet and avacado
trees and figs growing abundantly in their backyard, i ate a warm fig
right from the tree in the sunlight, rays upon my face and hair and it
was the most amazing burst of succulent flavor ever, i wanted to live
under that tree, i wished to beee that tree... a few days later whilst
wandering i was stalked by la's current of the times serial killer and
lived to now tell the tale still remembering his hot breath blowing on
the back of my neck as he whispered, 'girl do you want to meet the
strangler?' -'thanx-but-no-thanx'- mind whispered to self- one of my
heart stopping moments; i called as loud as i could to an old man
cutting his hedges, 'hey tom! here i am!' thankfully he saw my plight
and answered saying, 'well hurry up honey! we are waiting for you!'
~would i live through this? ~ever see the sun rise again? i'm sure as
the killer was in a rage as he released me; that he went away muttering-
i ran to the old man who calmed me, quietly asking if i was alright and
what did the man say, and for all intents and purposes we chatted like
two ancient friends, then later he drove me to people i knew- not learning
yet i had a date later that night with a sexy man with a wooden leg, of
course i did not know that when he asked me out- as he was soo damn
sexy, so nine in the evening sexiness picked me up and on our merry
way we went, after we then went to his apartment, he put on music,
held me tight, sweetly kissed me, then tossed me out because i wanted
to 'see his leg', well, i was compelled; it made perfect sense to me at the
time: over-taken with laughter and all, nervous energy i suspect now, so-
alone walking once more at midnight, thinking about that day; was all
rushed, residue of that afternoons scary hush: i naturally missed my bus-
found out later that evening a similar girl he stalked- who rode my same
bus, our long auburn hair the same, same skinny girls- she murdered on
the celeb steps bustop, this is where this other girl had to brutally die by
him- he still stalking killed the wrong one, not that it mattered to him, his
mistake, he went to his bed; los angeles sun rose again- this was my
route that time of night, in paths of twisted fate carrying this guilt through
the years, for my being late- the city now has one more angel, she
accidently died in my place; her- forever young...like all of them now in
a book of crimes, we are so similar it haunts me still, i hate los angeles;
unlike traveling overseas-

§*.......australia........*§

most beautiful land down under- uluru ayers rock is south west of alice
springs and is a huge red boulder of a pebble, filled to bursting with
aboriginal art, nine hundred feet high up into the bluest azure skies,
people are apparently fond of climbing it; this desert gem, not me
though, already a pair of shoes was worn thin with holes from traipsing
around that country, one new pair of -sandals even- being one hundred-
twenty-five dollars, courtesy of my date who wanted me to have the thrill
of climbing that damn rock, i prayed and prayed for rain, i called my
deceased husbands indian ancestors to bring rain and now- please
help me i'm so tired, i did my best bohemian gypsy magic- no rain for
the prior four months it began to drizzle, then it poured, i was over-joyed,
the people in charge said, 'sorry mates, rock closed off for the day' -yea! i
feined sadness as said date apologized over and over, yea, sure, a real
shame- as i smiled delightedly looking out the travelers bus window at
the newly blooming desert, it was a m a z i n g! b e a u t i f u l beyond
compare, we stopped at a place where they had camels, i loved them
so much, so furry unlike the other camels i have met in my life, these
were fluffy with big gentle soft spoken eyes and very sweet, my companion
came flying out of the men's room, yelling- sheesh, a spider, really?
seriously? no wonder the relationship went to hell, an old boy not a
man, oh well and alas, the other parts i remember and loved experiencing
were a few days later an exhilarating camel ride in the desert, again
some beautifully exquisite animals, i fell in love with their attitude and
demeanor, after the ride, we were offered camel meat, yeush, no thanx,
but guess who ate it, not me- most of my life a vegitarian he'd thought i'd
find this a delight- then dingos arrived at the hotel looking like dogs but
running away from me whilst i was sweet talking them; and i was yelled
at by you know who and the personnel of hotel, whatever, i raised a wolf
cub once i wasn't scared, at least this time i wasn't thrown out on my
arse, indeed on better behavior being in a strange land, i did find myself
feeling a bit chuffed though, -all became right with the world when i entered
a sydney grocery store, oooh the wonders of large sellers abroad, there
were so many unknown things to buy and try, same companies different
products and what did i see? had-to-have-it- vegemite- ooo yuck and gross,
not on my toast baby, one taste was enough, though i loaded up other lovely
yummys- walking around the harbor and eating the best dinners in the world
of my experience was a blast, the aussies know food, they are culinary
masters, i bow, even along the streets in sydney off the ferrys is a cornocopia
of delicious treats and sandwiches galore, i was in heaven- hoofed it to the
opera house waved at it and went on, the big white weirdness of it reaching
for the skies; lonely and empty like my heart for home, yet in truth this place
was ever so enchanting, magically intoxicating- one place had actual dried out
riverbeds, cavernous, one could see what lay under without rushing water that
flowed once a year by floods- i met a koala bear so soft tiny and adorable, and
kookaburras woke me on mornings, there are crazy 'gum' trees that burst into
flames, there were aborigines playing didgeridoos all painted up fancy, biggest
smiling faces, in sight of the harbors watery beauty- the australian people are
a rare blend, uniquely full of good nature and humor, they are strong, and brave
{except my date} and wonderful, the country is awesome; i know no other word
that is as fitting, even their planes, quantas, are extraordinary, the most gigantic
flying crafts i've ever flown in, when i was leaving the sun cast off the wing and as i
looked out the window- i cried for the beauty of that sun, deep orangie rose colour,
shining off wing metal melting and breaking my heart in two with nature's simple
eloquence, i looked further down after a while and as i watched this breathtaking
country became smaller and smaller until it was no longer visible, never to stand
under the southern cross again, i watched as land was replaced by brilliant
ongoing endless sea and the whispering mysteries lying beneath.

§*..........................................................................................................*§


























This poem is Copyright © ladyfawn