November

Into the annals of history…

I give you, November. Dealey Plaza at the edge of the West End, Dallas Texas. A somber place I go from time-to-time to reflect on history, to soak in the memories of a time period that rocked history and that still creates the aura of sad mystery to this day.

Dallas, Texas

1989

From the bank building,

south we go

trudging the city sidewalks

It’s lunchtime

high noon

the smell of barbecue

piques interest

of the business bunch

white shirts, ties

tweed skirts, navy slacks

we go

Willa May’s Rib Haus

where meat, sauce and all

the trimmings

are served on the line

served with a side of blues

and there we find

mounds of potato salad

golden, creamy, tangy

southern cooked garlic green beans

black eyed peas

seasoned like grandma’s

“You ain’t seen my sorrow….”

the line server sings

Tragedy though,

wound down these streets

in 1963

The motorcade turned

and headed toward

Dealey Plaza…

these paths haunted

where they came in droves

to hammer out the truth

jack hammered bullet holes

from the curb

as the lies sunk into

the cement

“I say, you don’t know, don’t know, don’t know….”

The woman with her

smart tortoiseshell eyeglasses

well versed in Change Management

eyes the hot rolls with honey butter

considers the pinto beans

tinged with smithereens

of chopped tomatoes

decides on