Stoop~by Paul F. Lenzi

 

 

Stoop

 

stairsteps as bookshelves
hold volumes of stories
played out through the
seasons down decades
colloquial gatherings
perched at the entry and
egress of days brownstone
masonry mortared by life
shared affinities broadcast
agreement and argument
obverse and reverse reflect
conversational intercourse
image and sound carried
into the street filled with
flows of its own tales and
tragedies passing at speed
barely leaving impression
on undersized grandstands
more suited to sociable
sedentary pace clustered
spectators split their
attention between what
they see and they hear
learning neighborly
etiquettes byproducts
vested in honest exchange
of one’s unvarnished views