Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A GUY I KNOW ON 47TH AND COTTAGE, by CLARENCE MAJOR



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A GUY I KNOW ON 47TH AND COTTAGE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The day of the strong rap
Subject(s): Chicago


The day of the strong rap
does not build to a close.

I see it, the heavy plop, climb
from the mouths of twelve-year-olds

in backyards trying to be honey cats
like their fathers. Same

values -- big cars giant hearts.
Laying a nickel on somebody

to impress the Lady. Grand
Theft Money. Moving up from lazy

bread to French muffins. Hawking foreign
chicks rather than mellow yella. In the future

I can just see him grown and slick
in a hog on a heavy map he thinks is the end,

the greatest. See him throwing a few dimes
to the Grape Society in the nearby alley.

He'll go to see his mama and sister about
once a month to lay a big buck on them,

knowing Mother's Day will not come
till the end of the month.


Used with the permission of Copper Canyon Press, P.O. Box 271, Port Townsend, WA
98368-0271, www.cc.press.org




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