Oakland (of Pittsurgh)
I wrote this multi-part geographic poem for Fiction and Poetry Writing with Joshua Malbin during my first semester at the Johns Hopkins University. This was part of my final portfolio for the class.
Carlos Macasaet
Introduction to Fiction and Poetry Writing
Final Portfolio - Multi-Part Geographic Poem
December 10, 2001
Oakland (of Pittsburgh)
Movies at the Park
The afternoon sun shines
on the grass covered hill
Families come accompanying young children
Students of the nearby colleges walk from their dorms
Frisbees fly through the air
The Cathedral of Learning serves
as a backdrop to people setting up
the large white screen
blankets are spread
friends, families congregate
the sun sets
the movie starts
The O
On the corner of the street
with a large neon sign of a flying potato
the informal gathering point
of teenagers and college students
every weekend, year round
The best fries in Pittsburgh
$2.55 will buy a small
too big for one person
from the counter that only sells fries
and pop
two dining levels
three counters from which to order
there are restrooms downstairs
but best to cross the street
and use Burger King’s
The Mexican
If you walk down Forbes
towards Brackenridge Hall,
a block away from the Beehive
you’re bound to encounter him.
Donning a Sombrero
he’ll call to you in garbled Spanish
perhaps you’ll discern the word “change”
As you walk away
he’ll pick up his guitar
strum out a tune
and sing
Yum Wok
Pan-Asian cuisine,
popular among local students,
fills large plates
A bottle of Srirachi on each table
Noodles, their specialty, their passion
As shown by large photographic prints
I find them slightly disturbing
As a waitress walks by
the back of her T-shirt reads
think quick
take chances
eat noodles
