The Elysian Fields

section 67
by Everett A Warren
May 18, 1999

when i was a child my father explained things to me
like how this was as it is and why that wasn't
how common street, through cushing square,
was made by following the cows home
how back in meadville every streetlight was a monument
because they only build them when someone died there accidentally
and i believed him
mostly
and i learned that this was as it is and why that wasn't
and a bit about what you could do about it
but i didn't buy the cows or the streetlights
no one could be as short-sighted as the latter and the former
well, that was unthinkable
because i knew there were not any cows living in the vicinity of cushing square
and then i met charlie the shoemaker who talked and talked
his wife was dying, he was dying
he was like a puppy dog who could only go out for walks
now that they didn't let him drive
and he talked and he talked about how good it was
when he made his special shoes for the firemen and the nurses
and how across from the shop before the movie theatre was built
but still within range of his memory was a pasture
and this brought the cows home for me
but still i was haunted by the streetlights
now i am older and know somewhat more than i did then
about how this was as it is and why that wasn't
and i know whatever reason is behind the bizarre geometry of cushing square
cows are more of a figurative way of looking at it
and i know the reasoning behind the streetlights is not far from law
for those who think they know
think they must deal in numbers
and every intersection is innocent
until proven guilty
and the sixty dollars for two stop signs
aren't worth the price
when the cost might be
a child's life

Copyright (c) 1999 Everett A Warren

• Smoke is bad for you
• I used to smoke
• Stopped when I was diagnosed with asthma
• I tend to get very sick when exposed to too much smoke, and I try to avoid it like the plague