he wore a white hat .......................................................................#NaPoWriMo2016

'Pushcart Coffee', 1947 by Fred Palumbo ©

pray leaned 
on his pulpit 
put lip bitten tulips 
in his rolling church 
of coin from pocket services 

he was an imagist 
a pushcart peddler 
a tobacconist w/pears apples 
spit roasted toasted 
brushed w/butter almonds 

his cries 
quickly gathered 
over cast iron 
oven hangs 
a hawk-belch 
and axle looking out 
for the pilled tip looting 
of leaned prey ...

the
parishioners
of purchase were parade 
tucked cobbler smiles 
with fleeting forever(s) 
they'd sing 
the songbook 
of each other's 
lunchtime 
and vacations 
at mill meet 
and eat 

on this street 
his street 
his sermon 
was harked 
and heard 
from here on  
back to work 
and home 
clutching pieces 
of heaven 

they'd file past 
and out of view 
with just 
enough desire 
to remember 
how they came 
this way 
and to come 
some time again
when they had 
more coins 
to give
to each 
of their 
little Rome(s)  
fountains and youth 

EJR ©