the stars above us

as a kid,
late at night,
I sat on my porch
and watched the neighbors.
mr. sabino
taking his nightly walk,
smoking a cigarette.
waving.
saying goddugin boy,
what are you doing
out so late.
across the street
was the widow
with her shades pulled
her black
stingray
from the insurance
in the drive way.
the family
across the way
with the boy who lost
a kidney
while riding his sleigh.
they kept to themselves now.
mrs. butler
next store with her husband
pearl were
a Tennessee Williams
play
in the making.
the liquor bottles
and cigarette butts
at the door. sometimes
my father would actually
come home
and have a bag
of groceries
under his arm as he
staggered up the steps,
lipstick and scratches
on his cheeks.
it was a fun
neighborhood
where you never saw
a cop, never saw anyone
that didn't live there.
no dogs were on
a leash.
we had the street to
ourselves with the stars
above us.