Caught between the twisted stars. the plotted lines the faulty map. that brought Columbus to New York. Betwixt between the East and West. he calls on her wearing a leather vest. the earth squeals and shudders to a halt. A diamond crucifix in his ear. is used to help ward off the fear. that he has left his soul in someone's rented car. Inside his pants he hides a mop. to clean the mess that he has dropped. into the life of lithesome Juliette Bell. And Romeo wanted Juliette. and Juliette wanted Romeo. And Romeo wanted Juliette. and Juliette wanted Romeo. Romeo Rodriguez squares. his shoulders and curses Jesus. runs a comb through his black pony-tail. He's thinking of his lonely room. the sink that by his bed gives off a stink. then smells her perfume in his eyes. And her voice was like a bell. Outside the street were steaming the crack. dealers were dreaming. of an Uzi someone had just scored. I betcha I could hit that light. with my one good arm behind my back. says little Joey Diaz. Brother give me another tote. those downtown hoods are no damn good. those Italians need a lesson to be taught. This cop who died in Harlem. you think they'd get the warnin'. I was dancing when his brains run out on the street. And Romeo had Juliette. and Juliette had her Romeo. And Romeo had Juliette. and Juliette had her Romeo. I'll take Manhattan in a garbage bag. with Latin written on it that says. "it's hard to give a shit these days". Manhattan's sinking like a rock. into the filthy Hudson what a shock. they wrote a book about it. they said it was like ancient Rome. The perfume burned his eyes. holding tightly to her thighs. And something flickered for a minute. and then it vanished and was gone. .