Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Strolling Oakland: Chinatown to the Lake








A fragmented city-scape






The Flaneur sets out walking
the world belongs to him because he is poor







 This is Oakland Chinatown







 The crosswalks in Chinatown are distinctive





 The lights change and everybody
 walks at once.in all directions
Like Chinese checkers






 The real old Oakland
Discernible among the remains



 Old properties fallen into 
louche condition




 Not a bad prospect here
I could really rock this firehouse



Siamese Victorians





The second story of the world
Wigs out



Up against the barricados



A massage speakeasy
Go over to the curtains
Whisper where you'd like to be rubbed




OAKLAND AUTO BODY
I dig deep black color fields




Gates of Zoophilia




Where the lion bites




A protected species lives here




Signage survival
A gone world cafe







 Here lies the former Fitzgerald cafe
A cup of coffee was a nickel
Lunch was fifteen cents






Now it's MAD OAK
Prices gone up a wee bit





At least they preserved the sign painting
There must have been a board with "ALD CA"
Over the entrance now lost





Crenelated castlean arches
trees of late Winter






The Courthouse lords over the land
What a pile this one is




No skating, baby,
No skating at the courthouse,
Skaters bang here constantly
 


Guardian of property rights
Evictions done dirt cheap
Protector of social inequality





 Lake Merrit
It's placid charm




 Back through Chinatown
Where children are taught to value
Precious things




Everyday life
A sensory overload 
a lot of the time





Nice to suppose something is still sacred
Or at least venerable and valuable,
The mild afternoon, Saturday sun













27 February 2016


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