Death In the Streets

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This piece was written in 1978. It is from my Poetry anthology entitled Carnivorous Avenues.

"Death In The Streets” By Stark Hunter Oh Cabman! Please take me up to 42nd street! I got a show at six, and lines to learn. Bessie, May and Tiny are singing “The Holy Roller Burn.” Sinister creeps silently peep into apartment windows At the naked fannies of mom’s little girls! Hershey bar delimma — Tapped phones on the rampage! Invading the homes of Yesterday’s innocents — Look! I see the specter of death Flying high in the black of night! Oh Mother! You could’ve warned me! Oh Mother! Why all the death in the streets? Death in the streets Mother, Blood in the gutter Mother, Why all the death in the streets? Nacho cheese surprise — Look! On the corner of the sink. Tootsie Rool casserole – The tops! So the experts think. Catholic diligence mindlessly walking the dog! Oh awaken slumbering ones! In the land of Magog! Through dark alleys they squirm in waiting. Oh Mother! You could’ve warned me! Oh Mother! Why all the death in the streets? Death in the streets Mother, Blood in the gutter Mother, Why all the death in the streets?

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Gabi Kl

Date: 5/27/2017 6:19:00 AM

Thank you so much for the information! I'll be sure to check out some of your other poems.

Gabi Kl

Date: 5/26/2017 10:46:00 AM

I chose this poem. It's a grade 7/8 task

Stark Hunter
Date: 5/26/2017 9:43:00 PM

I wrote "Death In The Streets" back in 1978 when I was 26 years old. It was penned when I was living in my hometown of Whittier, California. At the time, I was writing many of my early works, apocalyptic type pieces, which included violent imagery. This piece paints a crazy, dream-like world of metaphor and allusion. And it makes a rhyming statement about the increasing violence I was seeing in cities everywhere. My mother is mentioned because she was my first teacher in life, but never let me know when I was a child, of what was coming later in my life. I have published 6 books of poetry and prose since 2002. I published the novel In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida in 2002. My Poetry books are: Carnivorous Avenues, published in 2004, Cocktails For The Soul, published in 2013, and Voices From Clark Cemetery, published in 2013. And I have many poems published on line at PoetrySoup.com. I invite you to visit my poetry page there under Stark Hunter.

Gabi Kl

Date: 5/25/2017 11:22:00 AM

Hi Stark I had to pick a poem to read aloud and then write some info on the author. Info like how old were u when u wrote the poem, where u were born, how many poems you've written, what inspired u to write the poem, what kind of poems u like etc.

Stark Hunter
Date: 5/25/2017 5:28:00 PM

Did you choose "Death in the Streets."

Stark Hunter
Date: 5/25/2017 4:44:00 PM

Which poem have you chosen to read? And what grade level are are you currently at? I would be happy to give you the info you need when you answer.

Gabi Kl

Date: 5/24/2017 12:13:00 PM

Hi! I'm doing a poetry project for school and I NEED info on Stark Hunter!!! (For example: Hometown, what genres he prefers to write, what his first poem was. Etc.) Thanks!!

Stark Hunter
Date: 5/24/2017 7:44:00 PM

Hi Gabi Ki. This is Stark Hunter. Thank you for being interested in my work. Kindly relate to me what kind of poetry project you are doing. Another words, what is your assignment? Are you a high school student? Or another grade? Once you fill me in, I can then be more specific and this be more helpful to you.