Perpetual and Enduring / Thomas M. McDade

A wild-haired fellow pacing
And preaching to himself
And spooning seeds out
Of a juicy cantaloupe
Plants a smile on
A nearby gaunt mustached
Face flushed with drink
Both characters glance
At a young woman
In a fit of incredible hurry
Despite her very tall red
Heels and her long braid
Swinging like a bullwhip
That comes dangerously close
To launching the preacher’s rind
And dislodging the tipsy chap’s
Horse racing paper
Teetering dangerously
In a torn blue blazer pocket
Both observers wear black
Sneaks with lightning bolts
On their sides, a striking green
A trio of sparrows stalks
The gooey orange litter
Riders roll out of the subway
Like steel balls exiting a perpetual
Motion machine and sprouting limbs
For just this day re-orbed come evening
Rosy mug sits on a bench and crossing
His legs, pulls a pint of white
Wine from his good pocket
He toasts perhaps Miss Swiftly
And of course Reverend Melon
Maybe the world’s population
Some folks glare at him as if
He’s the keeper of the cams
Cogs, buttons, and switches
Keeping them out of control
Not merely the emperor
Of at least two
Enduring vices

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Thomas M. McDade is a 74-year-old retiree, Democrat and Red Sox Fan. He’s a former programmer / analyst living in Fredericksburg, VA, previously CT & RI.
He is a graduate of Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. McDade is twice a U.S. Navy Veteran serving ashore at the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center, Virginia Beach, VA and at sea aboard the USS Mullinnix (DD-944) and USS Miller (DE / FF-1091).