By: Milt Montague

A Dime

When I was a young lad  
Ten cents had some value
A dime could buy a cup of joe
And a doughnut or two
                          
A subway ride to Coney Island
Brooklyn’s own Riviera
A day-cation in surf and sand
Then a knish and a pepsi
Or Nathan’s frank and coke

Another subway ride
Way up to the Bronx Zoo
To see the Wild Kingdom
Roaming their natural habitat

Or to the Cloisters Museum
A bastion of medieval art
Inside an authentic castle
Overlooking the Hudson River
                                   
Then home atop an open air bus
Gliding down The Avenue
Central Park on my right
Posh Fifth Avenue on my left

New York was mine 
For only a dime
                                

###

Adventure Calls

anchor up
sail filled with air
we begin to move
rising and falling gently
as the boat parts the waves

the port shrinks
into the background
before us is the open sea
water everywhere ahead waiting
welcoming to this newly exciting world

adventure calls out to us
we hear and obey her voice
whispering loudly into our ears
go forth the future is waiting for you
do not hesitate another moment to leave

###

Cock of the roost

the rooster struts the compound
checking all his hens
their lord and master
displaying his elegant feathers

he reigns supreme
the cock of the roost
master of the house
until his time runs out

the gorgeous tail feathers
adorn a ladies hat
neck feathers used as fishing lures
meat for a stew

Long Live The New King

###

Our Journey

we have come
a long way together
nearing a meaningful corner

to the midpoint of my tenth decade
not many have joined this exclusive club
although many have aspired for membership

shall we turn and
go forth together into
probably the last chapter

arm in arm to meet the inevitable
smiling happily with no regrets we go forward
marching ahead happily into the future years together

to the end
living day by day
until our very last one

###

Pretty Soon

once there were towers
reaching to the clouds
now here are sliver buildings
going far beyond

ever higher
ever more
the sky is the limit

soon we will be able
to walk to the moon
our next door neighbor

or hop over to Mars for lunch
maybe the Marsplate Special