At The Top Of The Hill

Read a poem last night at the Museum Of Worcester for a celebratory reading for a poetry project. I read this poem, got a fair amount of attention for it.

Just a note — the school in question is Worcester Academy. The pizza joint is, I believe, now known as “I Love Frankie’s”. Gotta get some there one night.

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At the top of the hill

is the school I went to for all of one year — my junior year
Came and went on scholarship — tried to fit in but did not
partly from loyalty to my old school
and partly because I just –could — not

I didn’t like my old school but this one felt much the same
so my loyalty made little sense but I did maintain some
Took a hometown girl to the junior prom
where no one offered us a secret drink from their dad’s silver flask

Archie’s Pizza across Providence Street
from the brick marble
and granite school
was where I ate lunch most days

It made me feel like I’d get by OK as it felt like Harry’s back home
It helped that Archie remembered my name within a week of my first slice
Standing outside Archie’s I would stare down Dorchester Street
and wondered if this city would ever feel more like home

Much to my own surprise I live here now not far from the top of the hill
The school keeps getting bigger so I guess they’re doing OK
Archie’s passed or retired but there’s still a pizza joint there
It looks like home but I can’t go in in case it’s not

I’m not going through that again
Partly out of respect for Archie and the past
Partly out of knowing I’ll be a stranger there again
and partly because I still — just — cannot

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Whew.
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onward,
T