Friday, September 19, 2014

Clifton in Verse, Part Three

Clifton Ave., looking north toward Ludlow Ave.

Dear George,
I’m sure many (maybe even most) people are inspired to poetic musings by their neighborhoods.  That’s certainly the case in our Clifton village.  Our two major thoroughfares are Ludlow Avenue which runs east and west and Clifton Avenue which runs north-south.  Ludlow contains the center of the business district, while Clifton houses several major institutions and an elegant residential area.  I did two previous photo/poetry postings about places on Ludlow Ave. (see “Clifton in Verse”), the first one for the south side of Ludlow and the second for the north side.  The present photos and accompanying poems are mostly for Clifton Ave.  I haven’t covered everything of note, but this completes my neighborhood poetry-writing project.
Love,
Dave




Hebrew Union College

Hebrew Union’s a quick walk away
So many fine treasures of old
It’s a famous fixture, I’d have to say
With scores of new rabbis enrolled




Brueggers Bagels

In Bruegger’s they stare at their laptops
There’s only one patron per booth
The youth are all clad in their flip-flops
And the geezers look long in the tooth




UDF

UDF means “Farmers, United Dairy”
They sell eggs plus milk plus ice cream
Some like the peach, others black cherry
But it’s egg nog that leads us to scream




Good Samaritan Hospital

Good Sam is only eight blocks away
We got sitters from the nurses’ dorm
They took good care of our young son J
They were always so nursily warm




Burnet Woods

Whenever I long to get away
Burnet Woods is a soothing respite
Our sheepdogs wander about and play
On the trails they’re the handsomest sight





“The Muse of Clifton”

I’d say I’m in love with this sculpture
She’s the symbol of springtime and youth
I don’t know if she’s really high culture
But she radiates beauty and truth




Dewey’s Pizza

We go to Dewey’s for a married night out
They cater to adults and kiddies
The pizza is splendid, of that there’s no doubt
And their salads give people the giddies




Presbyterian Church and Day Care Center

The Presbyterians offered a center
We  sent off our son at age four
J’s teacher was an outstanding mentor
She taught him to mop up the floor




310 Bryant Ave.

My inlaws came to Bryant 310
They moved all the way from Philly
Helen would do it all over again
But my father-in-law thought it was silly




3507 Clifton Ave.

This was our home in ‘74
It’s a mansion befitting a king
We occupied the entire first floor
It made Katja smile and sing




Clifton School (now the Clifton Cultural Arts Center)

Clifton School had oodles of stuff
Like reading and cursive and art
Multiplication was ever so tough
But the kiddies who got it got smart





Mt. Storm Park

Mt. Storm Park is not much of a mountain
It’s more like a pretty high hill
The dogs like to sup at the fountain
And the cityscape gives us a thrill


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