19. The Idle Corner Boys, Or, Dundas Square an Urban Idyll

 

1 

The city has thrown off its coat,
Among the hemlines ladies play,
That ever, ever, rising song,
Which flourishes in May.
The year-end has its deadline met,
The working parents’ youngling brood,
Have two more months withing the nest,
Till they go flying east and west,
In search of rustic food,
Or, through the crackling campfires dart,
In very homesickness of heart.

2

Before a shop, upon a step,
Two boys are sitting in the street,
And no nice girls sent out to play,
Those corner boys should meet.
For Old Port taste they do their best,
And chew upon the plastic nibs,
And for Jack Daniels on the make,
They say done deal for that man’s sake,
And drunk still in their bibs,
And thus, if age was always prime,
Corner boys never waste no time.

3

Along the busy City Street,
The sounds of engines make a din,
And high above the rushing sound,
Are sirens moving in.
A thousand women take a dive,
Lost innocence. But for a guy,
Go the distance, and more by far,
Those boys with their own pipe cigar,
They always hear the cry,
That plaintive cry, by thoroughfare,
Comes all the way from Dundas Square.

4

Said Walter, leaping from the ground,
“Down to Atrium on the Bay
I’ll run with you a race.” – No more –
The two boys flew away.
They leapt, they ran, and when they came,
Right opposite to Dundas Square,
Seeing that he should lose the race,
“Stop!” said Walter, by saving face,
And soon James stopped right there.
Said Walter, then, “I have a plan,
Twill show each other who’s the man.”

5

“Till you have pinched some lady’s ass,
Say that you’ll never come to nought.”
James proudly took him at his word,
But did not like the thought.
They are the type, which you may see,
If ever you to luncheons go –
For such charm, the very devil
Would sin less and forgo evil –
And corner boys should know,
That always at her beckon call,
An honest man would give his all.

6

With focused sight across the Square,
The Challenger soon fixed his eyes,
And now his nerves as fleet as steel,
He walks toward his prize.
When hold! He sees her turn away,
As if she feared his quick approach,
His pulse is stopped, his breath is lost,
The lady he would soon accost,
Has lost her diamond brooch.
A brooch once worn against her chest,
Undid the covering of her vest.

7

The brooch had fallen to the ground,
And rolled off to the gutter,
The lady with the open blouse,
Sent James in a flutter.
The dam then quickly came about,
And held her damaged silk in place,
And for her loss let out a cry,
In plea of all the passersby,
As tears streamed down her face;
The brooch, a sentimental gift,
From one who cherished her, adrift.

8

When he had learned what thing it was,
That caused the lady fear, I trow,
The boy recovered heart, and told
All his keen friend would know.
Both gladly now deferred their task,
Nor was there wanting other care:
A Poet, one who loves downtown,
More than sage’s volumes known,
Had wandered to the Square,
And there the diamond brooch he found,
Where busy streets encompassed round.

9

He drew it gently from the street,
And brought it forth into the light,
The corner boys confronted him,
An unexpected sight.
Pried from his hand the brooch was gained,
Said they, “It’s neither scratched nor marred.”
Then in the busy Square they wend,
So that the dam her blouse could mend,
And firmly did the Bard,
Those idle corner boys reproach,
And bade them let her tie the brooch.