From Every Still

From every still, from every height
The demons turn amongst the night
The Killers' call‚ the raging squall
From Kensington to Moyamensing
Fires they fill the sky
Drunkards howl to the night
Like a ring around the city’s sights
Amazed that we’re still alive
The ice has gone‚ the city’s strong
Pulsing with heat just to swallow and eat
The Bedford beggar‚ the liquor store swagger
That feeds off the flesh of the drunk and depressed
The theatre roars with great applause
While smoke it sings into our doors
The writer rages ‘gainst boosters and players
While weavers they raise up their ‘blood or bread' banners
At Eastern State, the city jail
They meditate, they bleed and pray
Around the carousel‚ gangs dance and drink
And the beatings break up to the laughter and sing…