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Tompkins Square: 20 years later
by Puma Perl
laundry hung in Tompkins Square
families slept on the bandshell
tenements burned
developers crawled from sewers
project apartments warehoused
waiting lists in triple digits
squatters barricaded doors
couch pillows chair stuffing
in every trash can
dumpsters sat waiting
there was nowhere to live
it was August. Mayor Koch
sat in an outdoor West Village cafe
ate his pasta, discussed the park
he called it a cesspool,
put his fork in his mouth
as he described the smell of urine
the shit on the benches and gates
he almost had to skip dessert
as he called for clean-ups and curfews
police riots, beatings, arrests
he admitted in September
that he had never been there
but he had heard some things
twenty years later
there’s a new spin
it used to be a police riot
now it’s a punk rock concert
smelly 15 year olds are kicked
around makeshift mosh pits
they shake their dreds
pump their fists yelling
die yuppie scum
rage on credit
tattooed arms
snap pictures
in front of 7th street
Joe Strummer mural
leopard skin
cat eyes
orange spikes
costume party
homeless as lifestyle
people died
waiting
for welfare
remember
Barbara
homeless
teeth gone
kids taken
she smiled
and told her story
she was 27
Cash
3 brothers
all died of AIDS
waiting
for his turn
shared AZT
and wine
with his friends
sick
homeless
they lived in the park
because
they had no homes
today kids celebrate
pretend punks
bands from Italy
a few older guys
we nod
automatically
we recognize
we remember