Two Poems and a Drawing by Upper West Siders

ON CENTRAL PARK WEST

By Eric Mathern

Gaze up at a water tower
At a late nocturnal hour
And, If very fortunate, you will
See our resident barn owl.

Wings underlit by city light
The owl begins its silent flight
Toward the acres of Central Park,
Where creatures scurry after dark.

THE WEST SIDE THAT WAS: A MOSAIC

By Art Stamford

Exiles, musicians, druggies, crime,

the West Side I knew in a long-ago time.

* * *

You were careful where you walked

especially after dark,

and you definitely balked

at traversing Needle Park.

* * *

But there was also lots that made you come,

lots that drew you in,

no matter where you were from

no matter what you’d been.

* * *

Knickknacks and kitsch – you browsed Columbus Ave 

for things you didn’t need but had to have.

Bargain stores stretched all along Broadway,

shopped Morris Bros. and Woolworth’s back in the day.

* * *

A Magnolia slice

   is very nice

but I miss a canoodle

   with a Lichtman strudel.

* * *

89th Street off Broadway,   

   remember what was there?

Trotsky’s tracts still held sway

   up a rickety stair.

* * *

Hunan Balcony was spicy and hot,

   so was the Border Cafe

good for your stomach they were not

   I sort of liked it that way.

* * *

The Metro Cinema once showed porn

   …under another name.

But that was before you were born

   when the West Side wasn’t so tame.

* * *

The Sunday papers stacked up high

   at 96th and Broadway.

You paused for a moment strolling by

   late evening on a Saturday.

Time marched on; that newsstand’s gone-

   we’ve come to the digital day:

Lost in their phones the crowds breeze along   

   where headlines once screamed away.

* * *

Warm bagel ovens-the H&H store-

   like a little child lost when they closed their door.

But you can still dish

   on Murray’s smoked fish.

* * *

The old Boat Basin had to go

   it was rotten to the core.

But I’m not sure you’ll want to know

   what it is they have in store.

* * *

Through the years, through the years,

   through toil and tears,

through changes 

   both good and detestable,

we venerate and give thanks

   to Gray’s papaya with franks

for making the West Side 

   digestible.

* * *

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