“Blowin' Me Away” by Bob Atkinson

“Blowin' Me Away”

(c)2010 Bob Atkinson

don't blow me away

don't stop all this fun

I'm not a felon or a soldier

or someone on the run

had good vibes
in the city

could feel the gritty kitty

a pick-up game

on some strange lot

would new friends make
for me

sad sack there
watching my flair
bets were made
bread paid
spun around and proud

shot, dunk, points
money in the pocket
trinkets here, no cash there
I'll take your locket

simple was 
the rush to hoop
ball gently laid


gimme five
oh yes behind
we're champions
for the day

Firestone to Washington

was my range of motion

it didn't matter 
where I played

were lots of folks 
who liked my jokes
said come again some day

up from the city

empty lots not pretty
tags on walls 
near
brick building tall
proof of ownership in paint
no trespassing on the gate

some would rest their bones
some had left their homes
others would search for things
wire carts they would bring

homeless they did toil

hard upon their souls

to live another day
and maybe 

even bum a smoke

with their neighbors

they would talk and joke

maybe eat a meal

maybe lie in a bed

of cardboard shards

tin panels large

or freeway covering heads

someday in a field

of green clover or grass

they would forever sleep

beneath their river overpass

with needs met

and no frets

about being weaker
than the rest

as prey of the best

thoughts of good times

when they were young

life new to them each day

an adventure sweet

many games play

young and innocent fools

future seemed
to brightly gleam
then comes

the saddest kind of gloom

great fun always to run

wanting to get older

brightened up their days

bantering with

brothers, sisters and mother

but now it's different

hearts in a mess and spoiled

future soiled

control not theirs

they weren't really bad ones

only somewhat broken

direction unclear

maybe even hopeless

they gave up jobs

which frowned their mom's

and couldn't do no show

without a needle in their arm

or a pipe for smoke to blow

they didn't see out in our city

we sang and danced and played

did the drugs and bad stuff hard

which took our future away

we did romance

we did bang

the sweet ones

and the ho's

some took to forty-fives

some took to thirty-eights

me, I took to having fun

on the street a dollar to make

don't blow me away

don't stop all this fun

I'm not a felon or a soldier

or someone on the run

I'm someone 
who is older now
by luck I'm still around

I'm myself, my me, who else?

danger's a sad old thing

don't keep me from doin'

all the things that I like best

don't let me die

on pavement lie

with blood all over

my face

 

Contact Bob Atkinson