our red and green houses bloomed
on a pale green board;
not much of a town really.
a few railroads, hotels.The Banker.
no dogs or children running through the sprinklers.
no candy stores or malt shops
no fragrance of fried pork chops, fried apples at sunset.
moving from square to square not that aware
and sometimes winding up in jail.
i wonder how we ever lived there
in Monopoly town.
when fate could be decided by a thimble
or standing in front of some hotel could cost you everything.
a vacant lot really except for a few properties
owned by a few.
who couldn't tolerate loitering
or even, sometimes,
passing through.
on summer afternoons
or indoors when it rained
invariably the whole town folded up
literally.all played out.
until the next game.
mary angela douglas 6 may 2017
on a pale green board;
not much of a town really.
a few railroads, hotels.The Banker.
no dogs or children running through the sprinklers.
no candy stores or malt shops
no fragrance of fried pork chops, fried apples at sunset.
moving from square to square not that aware
and sometimes winding up in jail.
i wonder how we ever lived there
in Monopoly town.
when fate could be decided by a thimble
or standing in front of some hotel could cost you everything.
a vacant lot really except for a few properties
owned by a few.
who couldn't tolerate loitering
or even, sometimes,
passing through.
on summer afternoons
or indoors when it rained
invariably the whole town folded up
literally.all played out.
until the next game.
mary angela douglas 6 may 2017
