9/2/22
Watermelon man
On his way
Past the hay
Shining like the gold
Of a fool’s prison
He’s on his way
To Cantaloupe Island
Grooving to the beat
Of 50 years ago
(When things were worse
But so very clear)
Despite the heat
Despite the fleet
The mob of police
Hot on his trail
The sirens wail
The dissonance
Of the chase
The resonance
Of Miles Davis
Blaring from
His van’s speakers
Watermelon man
Doing what he can
To stay in tune
To heaven’s melody
And his own integrity
His old van
Chugging to the beat
Of a million
Nervous hearts
Praying for liberation
While his syncopated horn
Warns the world
Of his coming
There’s a chopper
Flying over
A grasshopper
On his rear view mirror
He’s eating
Mama’s stew
With one hand
On the wheel
Will it be
His last meal?
Watermelon man
Border in sight
Cue the drum solo
Gunfire erupts
Time to YOLO
Trumpets sound
From the ferry station
Where the cops
Have no jurisdiction
Then another round
…BAM!
Watermelon man
Convicted for his
Contradiction
His dereliction
As a citizen
Of his duties
For refusing
To sip that kool aid
And eat that cold turkey
A million screens
In melancholy
Switch off
Watermelon man
The judge gave him twenty
With time off
For food behavior
But he doesn’t give in
And keeps dreaming
Of Cantaloupe Island
Where men and women
Live in true freedom
~ Unknown (WP Author)
