April13th [Version] and Boots

April13th [Version] and Boots

I came to the east
Where it was all blowing up
Clear and obvious
Going to New York
To experience the apocalypse
Told the little girl in creative writing
I got to go to the center of hell!
Go to the city
Where the lights are sodium orange
The windows caged
The people blue
Mistakes out in the open
On the doorsteps
Human refuse is most interesting
Somebody kicked garbage
All down the street.
I couldn't take it
Got worn down
Just like my platform shoes
Had to leave
Broke on the train
On April 13th.
To dream tonight of the Midwest again
Clean factory towns   German people
The lawn getting greener.
iii.
got some boots on a Saturday night
on 14th Street when
I was down an dejected
on the street of elvis rugs
sony portables
gypsy rose
That Flagg Bros window looked to me
Like the old downtown Christmas tree
I saved $20 and
washed my socks special
for the big event
they were black and rounded
with silent
bubble toes
 they were grey-marbled with
red pinstripes
zipped up the side
three-quarter platforms

and me I'm thinking
watch me now!

but on the edges of
decadence and wealth
where I saw Andy Warhol and
the strange angel
Eric Emerson
Under their heroin moon
money and illusion ruled
dry as a stone
nights ensued.

and soon I was walking down
those heels
looking for jobs
instead of
for girls
til I was sitting
on a park bench
one fine day out

and the fella sitting
cross the way said
man those boots are played out
man those boots are played out
man those boots are played out.
                                           -Jack Vaughan


[portions also also on http://radio-weblogs.com/0115044/stories/2003/04/13/april13th.html ]