I move to Levittown, Long Island
with Crystal and friends.
We are: four girls, each uniquely pretty
and four guys, all named Mike.
A mostly platonic arrangement
considering the people involved.
We are artists and musicians
working blue-collar jobs
rather than wasting time at college
besides Crystal
who graduated early.
Festering piles of bored potential.
60s communal living
reenacted in the late 80s,
with lots of heavy metal long hair
and a scuffed drum kit
where a kitchen table belongs.
Peace and love and
bitchy confrontations,
like a reality show
except the only ones watching us
are the neighbors and they are not fans.
Quick to judge
quicker to call the cops
when we get a little loud.
But the police know
we are only
trying to have a little fun.
Ask that we please,
have the live band
playing Van Halen
“sign off by ten.”
and, “Maybe keep
the occupancy down.”