Neighborhood

by Leslie Dianne


I know everyone around here
the homeless, gray bearded
man with the
liquid eyes
who opens the door
at the seven eleven
like a footman in
another time greeting
ladies and lords
kings and queens
hungry for pizza,
big gulps and wings

I know everyone around here
the parrot man who
holds himself in balance
while his bird holds
our attention and
bobs his head from
one of us to the next
each eye accusing us separately
of stealing him from his home

I know everyone around here
the extra entrepreneurial
ukrainian guy with the 
fruit stand who once gifted
me a bunch of bananas
because it was tuesday
and raining
I gave him my smile
and he gives it
back to his customers
now the whole
neighborhood
is filled with my joy


* * * * *

Leslie Dianne is a poet, novelist, screenwriter, playwright and performer whose work has been acclaimed internationally in places such as the Harrogate Fringe Festival in Great Britain, The International Arts Festival in Tuscany, Italy and at La Mama in NYC.  She received her BA in French Literature from CUNY and her poems have appeared in The Lake, Ghost City Review, The Literary Yard, and About Place Journal.  Her poetry was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize.