In the Park at sunset

Late afternoon Washington Square september

people on green grass lolling recline laughing

hold hands layback chill.

Here come Deep basso fellow dark and confident

singing with no inhibition he

serenade folk in the park

makin rounds group to little group.

We on park bench in late gold sun,

black basso man he come our way with singing

on his mind.

Meanwhile ole sourpuss geezer on bench he wear

no sunshine but he say:

"He juz want some goddam money. He come ev day,

every dam day!"

And yet here come deep basso man wit white shirt bow tie vest

lookn sharp and ready

so I say:

"You know Ole Man River?"

"I only know the Paul Robeson version."

"The one you know-- tha's the one I want."

And so the wise man sing and he fill the ev'n air wi strong

song and he modulate into Irving classic version Ole Man Riva,

and he finish by sliding into Louie's What a wonderful world

with great vocal fortitude n excellence.

And by the sound of it the world be a betta place than was before, so I

lay the five spot in his hat.

Then ole geezer on bench he don say nothin, no beta than he was before.

Now I know there be two kinds men in world: them that do

and them that won't.

An life go on in Washington Square an I guess sun when down

juz after we left.



Glass half-Full