Two Poems by Darrell Petska

by Darrell Petska

Citified

Is it need, or nostalgia, that sends

a citified country kid harking back

to memories molded of furrowed soil,

mooing cattle and sun swept hayfields?

Bucolic images slowly fade to a city’s

concrete realities and passing throngs

warned to keep off the grass, form

single lines, keep right, or go one-way

but whiffs of freshly mown hay

or the plaints of newborn calves

send a country-bred townie bruised

by steel and stone, noise and foment

back to thoughts of home and roots,

roosters heralding dewy dawns, and

silky loams that speak of time and love

and ask just where’ve you been.

Old City

Where foreigners paid a pittance

for the locals’ homes and shops, then dropped

great sums to remake them French and Greek,

Irish, Chinese and American restaurants,

pizzerias, frozen custard shoppes and coffee bars

          Ponchos! Buy your honey a poncho!

luring tourists who rain dollars and euros,

yen and yuan for delicacies locals can’t afford

          Emeralds! Turquoise! Lapis Lazuli! Come in!

and margaritas and coco locos late into night

until they weave toward their beds

          Hey, fella, looking for party?

in the old convent now a 5-star hotel

with flowers at the windows and valet parking

just beyond the old city wall in a lot fenced high

against thieves who covet hood ornaments,

hubcaps, tires, stereos, luggage...

          CDs for sale, 2 for 1!

requiring armed patrols to ensure

this jewel of history remains preserved

that all might experience, up close,

its quaint

          Cigars from Havana, a real steal!

charms.