Party Poem by Tony Nesca

PARTY IN 1607

there”s a party in 1607
reggie he checking it out
kicking back pipe in hand
there be reefer going around
20 scattered people gettin” drunk
and high wasted nights in the casba
reggie he talkin” to young pretty girl,
pretty girl she eyein” the tall native guy
reggie by window now,
couple cool joes shoot the shit
he speaking his best barbados accent,
argument in corner
blood on the floor,
it ain”t nothing he says,
ain”t nothing at all…

hip hop in background
reggie wishing for jazz
but the ladies they all around man,
they slick and whiskey young,
more arguments,
some laugh,
some feel the fear,
reggie collecting money for the drug parade
they huddle by the table,
they light the pipe like it”s a token to the gods,
reggie waves in a young thing of 19 or 20
she already livin” on pluto
among the clouds and the gastown memories,
glassy eyes she looks up,
reggie smiles,
it begins now…

another party in 1603
reggie there now
white boys from middle-class
slumming it for the thrill
reggie he bored
reggie he tired
white girls looking good
everybody flat and humorless
things too easy he thinkin”,
the whiskey comes out
then the grass and the coke
reggie getting along now
entire room in synch,
for awhile,
just awhile,
then the first argument,
it begins now…

we”re at my place,
1803,
few buddies sitting around
we got the whiskey and the grass
reggie talks to me continuously,
“man” he says “you”re place is an island in all this shit”,
“reggie, reggie” i say
“me thinkin”, me thinkin””
i got the sex-pistols on the ghetto
raunchy and anti-everything,
couple women by window
they loving the view,
i”m wondering about their legs,
their eyelashes,
the color of their underwear,
“pretty amazing view” she says,
i smile and introduce her to reggie,
it begins now…
***