We had come as memory tourists
trying to see what remained
as though it was a movie
with the same scenic and the same
ending
————————————-
We had a breakfast buffet
I always want to pronounce it
buffet like Jimmy
sometimes it tastes
like unmelted cardboard
——————————————–
We had hoped to see the coffee shoppe
still hale and radical hearty
but it was gone
the workman said
“the coffee’s not brewing here no more”
————————————————-
We had hoped to see
Fort Kyd
and this was there
parents, kids, sweating playing yelling
cell phones aflutter
———————————————-
We thought to see
the other stores
herbs incense was there a
wisp of a bookstore?
Only the wisps were left
————————————————–
We only had the memories
of most of this
and damn fine ones they were too
and we can hold on to that
till our tricky little minds forget
———————————————————–
Why do the urban stores
always have to go
once the stench of monies come
why do choices
have to die
———————————————————
The Garden of stores
across from The Candy Factory
in Knoxville place
Is it only my memory????
Bob Small
8-24-08
About bobsmall1
Update; Bob Small has been posting, for a while, at
URL : https://billlawrenceonline.com/special-election-7-for-2023/
a recent Blog post, vary between local and national politics and whatever.
Still Blogging Poetry etc on this Blog.
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 and other venues
that have moved or ceased existence.
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.
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/ 10 minute plays, trying to see his 45 collection and organizing his Poetry, which he posts on his Blog (Bob Small1). He is retired from most of the above activities, except Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition.
robertthesmall 
another really fine poem. poignant yet political. m