pittsburgh pre roe, watercolor



before the hill burned in the 68 riots
she walked toward wylie
early morning sun
it's shine filtered soft in sooty air
mill town, steel town air.

it painted a dull halo around
her shoulder length blondness
showed blue undertones to
suburban white skin

another pittsburgh madonna
standing on an uptown street
wearing bellbottoms, clutching
a folded bit of notepaper, knuckles
red with the cold.

a dozen rust colored row houses
broken grey sidewalks, yellowed curtains
one pair, pushed aside, waiting
for the first of that day.

black, brown, white
all pittsburgh madonnas
watercolored with tears.

she came. a sistine vision, knelt down
opening her churub pink mouth
to his dark hardness. unholy communion

before he scraped her shame
from a womb not ready
using a tool that might have come
from a kitchen drawer or
a carpenter's box.