The everything is everything store at Banhof Altona
(Hamburg, Germany)
In a weird misted memory way
it remembered me of the Woolworth’s of my
Philly youth, going down downtown
she said it reminded her of a long gone
long gone Harrisburg store
It was small compacted and felt
like one more shelf would lead to implosion
it was where you went
it was where you went
when you were counting your euros
There was a little bit of everything
and I told myself that
anything we bought
anything we bought
was just another thing to carry
Since all the conversations were in Deutsch
we could only image what they said
husband and wife, husband and husband
wife and husband, wife and wife
one wanted to buy, the other nein
one wanted to buy, the other nein
Threads and pens and paper and ivory
or looked like that and smooth to touch
and knicks and knacks and door knockers
and knicks and knacks and door knockers
doorstops and brooms and lights and trashcans
used books and cd’s and vcr’s and and and
It was the beginning of our day
journey’s start, probably for everyone
get off the bus or train or bike and-
this is where you go to spend some or none
this is where you go to spend some or none
Bob Small from 10-31-12 two lines
first draft 3-28
revised after reading at a Poetry reading 5-16-14
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About bobsmall1
Bob Small has read at Bacchanal, Barnes and Noble, Borders,
The Booksource (Swarthmore), The Clark Park Festivals,Community College of Philadelphia
Highwire Gallery, The Mad Poets Annual Food Fest Reading,
The Middle East Restaurant, Nexus GalleryThe Painted Bride Arts Center,
The Philadelphia Ethical Society, Robin's Bookstore
The University of Pennsylvania and also in New York City,
Trenton, NJ, Washington, DC, and in many Delaware Valley Venues.
He is the author of numerous chapbooks, including
El Otro Lado (with Maralyn Lois Polak), On watching America Die,
Small Steps and Toes (with Lamont B. Steptoe), and The Unapoet.
This is his first Reading in over a year.
Bob Small was Founder and President of the
two decades old Poets and Prophets,
which presented Poetry Readings
in both Delaware County and Philadelphia.
Bob was the Chair of The Delaware County Green Party and was the
First Green Party Candidate in Delaware County (2005).
He was also a Green Party National Delegate, among other duties.
He is the Founder and Facilitator of
The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PaBac),
which is a Coalition of both Independents and Third Parties.,
seeking to legislatively improve Pennsylvania's Ballot Access Laws. (Facebook)
Bob is also a founding member and
Facilitator of Democracy Unplugged, and Delco Debates,
which has presented Independent and Third Party Forums in Delaware County since 2004. Facebook)
He was formerly involved with Cinema Resistance, and Delco Pledge of Resistance.
Bob currently lives in Swarthmore with his wife
and their menagerie of animals.
He is currently focused on writing a Novel and organizing his Poetry, which he posts on his Blog (Bob Small1). He is retired from most of the above activities, except Delco Debates and Poets and Prophets, which he may return to.
robertthesmall 