A JOURNEY WITH STEPHEN
PART IV

WHETHER TAKING IN THE SWEET SMELLS OF THE CITY ON WEST SIXTY-FIFTH OR JUST PASSING BYE THE CENTRAL PARK OR THE

STATEN ISLAND ZOO

THOSE SWEET SMELLS SURELY WILL CATCH YOUR ATTENTION... ZOO KNEW?
You??
You??
Or was it YOU??
Yes, Stephen would be glad to know
that I pointed out to all of you
(his friends and family)
this simple humble fact that being...
when you can really (and I mean really REALLY) smell...
the famed Staten Island ZOO(!!)...well then
YOU KNOW
FOR SURE

darling Stephen and lovely loving Grandmamma Nana's spirit are...

JUST AROUND THE RIVER BEND
Yes quietly and neatly nestled up their on the hill...
that one! That one right over there!

A NON GENDERED
ORCHESTRA
PLAYS THE FOREST
...DAILY
BUT BIRDS AND
BUGS "STONEWALL"
AND "CHORALE" FOR BETTER CONCESSIONS
IN CHORAL
HARMONY AND UNITY!

SLIOWKDUUPAKSLEIAISLLSOLDOH
EO[APEO[OEIMLDFQAAAEELQPE'alugpE

Yes indeed...through those trees, those same trees that are just now sweetly singing and swaying in harmony (can you hear them?) as if they are conducting a melody of their own written by their very own branches (or off shoots thereof). There too I say in a whisper to you and you amidst the constant chirping banter of birds (near and far) base and baritone alike, high and low and some well...in between.

Yes, too, that constant banter too of steady (and some unsteady) winds waving tree tops to and fro aloft there high. Bending ever so slightly those flexible regal tough like tree bottom and roots so and all of the rest of the timber and bark that make up the bulk of the tree and bark there that is plenty and robust tis the bulk of those trees I do speak there seemingly foot stomping beneath the soils rubbish strewn with fallen leaves and then ashes of then and today, past and present with them THOSE MIGHTY ROOTS intertwined with all of the other timber in between.

I KNOW, I KNOW...
AN OUTING
IN THE PARK
WITH
ME
would
BUG
YOU OUT!
UNLESS
YOU
HAVE ARE HIDING SOMETHING
SOME WHERE DEEP
IN THE FOREST OF CLOVE!
YOURSELF!
BOO!
"Did I get you???

Of course now they are those cricketty creaking creaky crickets
and butterflies (a boon) galore too,
and those musky man handling mosquitoes
menacing mightily
your every step through the Forest of Clove
to their appetizing desire and bite
till your dooming sting day
and all those Simple Simon like spiders
that like to pluck chords in unison
from one web to another to the next
with those ever-so-busy mischievous hands
and feet as well—
OH...
some are so serene in tone and tune and pitch
even from a ditch
and some other places
NOT TO YOUR LIKING!
I web you NOT!
Not to harp on it
but like a very bad Harpo Marx harp moment
to their personal delight! -
OH PLEASE DON'T BITE!

LOCUSTS ON DISPLAY
ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT LONG:

KSOW'AWW,DYI

Oh those Locusts sometimes come and go
as they take over the night. —

A bat or two
sings solo for a bar or two
bringing silence then to the brass section for a few
The spiders again... spring into action
and then...
the Owls YES!
What of the
Owls...

THE GREAT GRAND OWLS
OF THE WINDS
or two...just then
please don't miss it!

North
and
South...

East
and
West...

You are sure to find them.
A tell-tale sign of just
WHO
(BOO!)
is, exactly is
the judge and jury
of this NOT so talented
talent show
in kind
in this never quiet (no!)
foresting feverish fury.

And THERE
amidst the rollicking roley poley road,
just
THERE
now stripped of
no uncommon dew
of duck or geese or you—

With fallen leaves now a flow
they do now glow and glow
the leaves of forest
some orange, some green
and yellow too
(that color is for you!)
A little girl with a simple corn bread filled basket,
her friends,
one shiny seemingly new—
like that of tea kettle or a few,
a man all decked out in straw some hobo(?) NOT
probably a man with brains (or two!)...
and...and...

A LION
lying in the grass THERE
napping away
paws proudly reaching to the sky
now too...
0h tis just a tail (or two?) for you and you
and especially you!

And what of that sweet
adorable little dog
running along side of you
and you and you? What kind is it? I bet one who glorifies peoples toes I bet, I bet - I do!
So is it one or two??? - which wi(t)ch is it?? Which way did that mean witch go?? Do you know? Was it EAST or WEST OR thank goodness... NORTH or SOUTH So whi(t)ch way is it??? Which way did the wi(t)ch go??? GO WITCH GO!!! Which!

Have you or another guessed this little dog's name yet? Have you or you?? I know who but it couldn't be you

WHO

(silly sometimes serious owl!
It was you!)

"YOO HOO!" All my friends and family out there... I haven't heard a peep from you?
Everything OK?
You must all be sleeping like that SILLY LION...
SO WAKE UP... ALL YOU PUMPKIN PATCH KIDS!!! (PLEASE!!!)

Because... Stephen and Grandmama Nana are closer now more than ever! Oh so yellow these leaves a strewn some new...intermingling with the other colors - such brilliance Like a real honest to goodness Yellow Brick Road... Yes!!! Laid out so before us Those ruffling leaves do ruffle a dress or two you? Leading all of us gathered today to somewhere... somewhere to a Magical, Serene and Pure Such a Peaceful Place...…" " We are almost there!!!!! We are almost there!!!! cries the little girl with TOE TOE and her little new born pup TOO TOO in tow to! Now... with friends and family alike (like me and like you don't worry I like you and so does Stephen and Grammama and Mary T. (that's 'T." for theresa) too toto and tootoo too! Toot!! Toot!! COMMEEE ONN EVERYBODY!!! There!!! Where???? There...there on a hill up that secret passage way there...

CONTINUE ON TO THE LAST PART OF THE STORY
GO BACK TO PART III
GO BACK TO PART II
GO BACK TO PART I

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