The Last Leaf

 THE LAST LEAF

"No Italians now out in our park,"

            Tony said to me slowly and sadly.

"It's not like the old days, now it's all dark,

            Dark days ahead, as far as I see."

                        **********

I nodded and I had to agree.

            I remembered it was such a lark,

Old days when our park was the place to be.

            Now our park, our park was all dark.

                        **********

In the old days we'd sit with Bruno and Ida,

            They'd tell tall tales of Old Country,

Of bountiful orchards in their Ateleta,

            Of vineyards as far as eyes could see.

                        **********

"Remember when Bruno drove his full van

            Way into our park?" said Tony.

"He took out his grill and then had to stand

            Grilling for the whole family?

                        **********

And Maria sang an Italian song

            That day in our park?

And we all joined in and we all sang along,

            And we all danced until it was dark?

                        **********

Those days are long gone," Tony then sighed.

            "Nobody's left but me, and now you."

Tony fell silent and he almost cried.

            I wondered what I should say or do.

                        **********

"But we're still here," I said hopefully.

            "We remember the days in our park."

"Yes," said Tony, a bit wistfully,

            "But no Italians now out in our park."