REFLECTIVE VERSE

AT THE CLEANERS

I’m sitting alone, and I reflect on those golden days;
The days that brought us joy and laughter.
Hamzeh and Eido had returned from their mischievous ways–
Cruising Cass for what the young and eager sought after.

We all gathered and waited for them at the Island Park,
For a game of tackle football in youthful exuberance.
A freshly planted pile of poop lay, steamy and dark,
And Hassan and I would improvise something humorous.

Like a hyena in heat, Eido shows up with a happy prance,
“Wallah, I’m so excited to tackle all you guys!”
As Hassan nodded to me with a reassuring glance,
I gazed upon that hyena with hunger in my eyes.

The teams were chosen, there was excitement and spark,
And Eido, by Fate’s hand, ran towards that awful waste.
Hassan’s arm did not disappoint, the ball hit the mark,
And quickly towards Eido with laughter, I raced.

I surged forward boldly, my tackle well-aimed,
And Eido, tight in my grasp, fell by my hands.
And down in the mess, Eido suddenly proclaimed,
“What the hell guys, I think I shit my pants!”

As Hassan and I giggled, and Hamzeh held his nose;
Eido realized what had transpired, and he began to lose it,
“Wallah guys, I think there’s dog poop on my clothes!
I can’t walk into my house smelling like shit!”

We drove Eido to the dry cleaners down the road,
With windows opened because Eido badly smelled!
We drove laughing, as Eido dealt with a shitload,
And finally arrived at the cleaners, and laughter swelled.

We entered the cleaners after reveling in the dirt;
The scent of poop caused nausea and unrest.
As Eido quickly reacted, removing his pants and shirt,
He stood there alienated and completely undressed.

Two ladies sat staring, and Hassan and I knew the demise,
As Eido stood and waited, only a towel wrapped his side.
Hassan winked at me, with laughter in his eyes,
And I quickly grabbed the towel and ran outside.

He ran around in circles, looking for somewhere to hide,
He grabbed a laundry basket to hide his “flute.”
The two ladies looked on in disgust, and felt mortified;
They screamed in shock at his dangling fruit.

Then came the grand moment the laundry was done,
As Eido stood butt naked taking everything in stride.
That fateful day had ended as it had begun,
And we all gathered around and laughed till we cried.

In Eido’s delightful debacle, he took it quite well,
His jokes were like feathers, so light and so free.
Whether he found humor in it, I really can’t tell,
But what happened on that day was a sight to see.

We still look back and reflect on that dreadful day,
When a dog with diarrhea pooped on the grass.
And Eido still wonders, and you hear him often say,
And reflect, “If only Hamzeh and I remained on Cass.”

©Habib Dabajeh

LIVERNOIS RACES

There she was, the silver Trans Am; Norman’s new car.
It looked more like an old, and warped can of sardines;
But it was his baby, and only sexy when viewed from afar;
And kinda fast! It could’ve run faster filled with beans.

“Look at my baby!” he shouted, his arms raised to the sky,
Then Derek Unis rolled in with his shiny red ’80 Corvette;
“Let’s race!” cried Norman, mischief glinting in his eye,
And boasting its speed, “It’s quite fast, like a jet!”

And Norman loved this Trans Am, more than life it seems,
He’d cry, “Watch me hit the gas, it’s a thunderous roar!”
Derek’s red Corvette roared, like music from dreams,
As Norman yelled, “To Livernois, let’s settle the score!”

We gathered on Livernois, all set for the race,
And Norman shouted, “Look at that ugly red toad!
But Norman lost, and with frozen eyes gazed out into space,
Like a deer staring at headlights on the open road.

Every year it seemed, Shadi would have a new Mustang,
And Norman had the balls to challenge another race.
I remember Norman slamming his door and crying, “Dang!”
And Norman would drive back home with a sad face.

“Let’s race again!” Norman shouted, with spirit ablaze,
His engine roared and tires proudly squealed.
But every time, Shadi left him in a haze,
And Norman’s defeat was far too often revealed.

And Norman looked on, fingers tapping his chin,
“What the fuck!” He exclaimed, “It wasn’t even close!
Just look at my Trans Am. Why can’t I win?
What happened to speed? This car fucking blows!”

The days rolled by, and Norman’s mind schemes,
With determination fierce, and a fire in his soul.
While all of his losses replayed in his dreams,
He decided, “It’s time to take back control!”

With anger swelling, he pondered into the night,
“This Trans Am is a joke!” He was now becoming irrational.
And one day he emerged with eyes beaming bright,
And he pulled up, with his sleek Grand National.

“Oh, hear me now!” His voice was stern and loud,
“Bring your asses to Livernois, I’ll be waiting there!”
Now Norman was king, he stood high and proud;
And back on Livernois again, but who would dare?

At last, the day came, and Shadi cried out loud,
“Your Trans Am was a joke, but what’s this I see?”
Shadi smirked, as Norman cried feeling quite proud,
“It’s my Black Mamba, bitch! You ready for misery?”

“Oh, just wait,” Norman continued, revving the engine.
The race was about to start, the tension was high.
“You hear that power, baby?” Norman said with a grin.
With adrenaline pumping, they both zoomed on by.

They tore down the road, both cars fierce and fast,
He shifted and swerved, the wind in his hair.
But Norman, with focus, was determined at last,
And before we knew it, he left Shadi in despair.

With a burst of pure joy, he crossed the line first,
Shadi’s jaw dropped, he couldn’t believe it.
“Take that, my friend! I’ve quenched my thirst!”
Norman yelled, and all Shadi did was throw a fit.

So here’s to the flaws, the goofs, and the smiles,
Let’s toast to the chaos on Livernois Road.
Who’d have thought joy could be seized by the miles?
In a world of competition, our joy overflowed!

©Habib Dabajeh

ON THE PORCH

The sun shone brightly on Morross Street.
The screeching bikes arrive and drop to the ground.
Outside my window, I heard their scrambling feet,
And there was joy and laughter all around.

Excitedly, they arrived, pounding on my side door.
I was eager to start whatever adventure lay ahead.
Who knew back then what fate had in store?
There was so much to conquer and many roads to tread.

On my front porch, we would nightly convene;
To share stories and laugh at a silly joke.
Our eyes were bright, not fixed on a phone screen,
And there was constant eye contact as we spoke.

We sat on porches, and there was time to kill,
With burgers and beer, we talked and ate.
When stories flowed freely and time stood still,
Before we learned how to digitally isolate.

The creaking of bike chains kept the evening’s beat,
While fireflies danced and the days felt like forever;
Now phone screens glow as we scroll and tweet,
Missing moments that once brought us together.

No message notifications broke our spell,
As we laughed and played throughout the night;
Just the songs of crickets with tales to tell,
And friendship’s warmth that glowed with light.

It’s time to power down these devices we prize,
And return to the days without despair;
This virtual reality is for fools, but we were wise;
We had genuine connections in the open air.

The porch still stands, so let us reprise,
And bring back life’s unhurried scenes;
Where we might lift our downcast eyes,
And rediscover what true connection means.

©Habib Dabajeh