Category: City of Niagara Falls

Long Live the All Day Breakfast Diner by Bartholomew Bakelaar

Interior of the Hi-Lite Restaurant in Niagara Falls
Interior of the Hi-Lite Restaurant in Niagara Falls

Long live the All Day Breakfast diner
that makes this world of rainy days finer! —
The coffee cup, the stirring spoon
mixing sugar & cream, first sip soon
And then– all things better —
no matter the weather, a blessing or a curse
beautiful or ugly, its all the same universe.
The constant hustle streams by on sidewalk while
the serene sips inside produce an effortless smile
We owe it to ourselves
to put the tools down for a minute
& turn our backs on the machine, forget it.

Bartholomew Bakelaar by Nichole Bakelaar
Bartholomew Bakelaar by Nichole Bakelaar

Sip a coffee in a booth, forget seeking truth,
fall silent in peace, let it all be.
Have a second, third , a fourth cup of coffee
there’s no hurry, nowhere to go, nowhere to be.
The galaxy wheels overhead in perfect harmony
with all there is, even as you sit
enjoying yr own company
at the All Day Breakfast diner, tell me
what could be finer?

Source: The Author, 2017

Scenes From a Hungarian Restaurant by C. D. Onofrio

Savoury & Sweet Restaurant in Chippawa
Savoury & Sweet Restaurant in Chippawa
Stew Brennand, Tyler Lindsa,y Kyoshi, and C.D. Onofrio performing at Savoury & Sweet Restaurant

little European
Herman Hesse
Maybe Berlin
where Jazz
plays in the club
and the young
women sitting
across from me
conjure visions
of love sweet love
sweetly the piano
plays me into reverie
once I dreamed
this place
once I dreamed
I was Hemingway
shucking oysters
on the Seine
with my pen
and poor finances
doing one of life’s
finer romances
to be in on a conversation
that spans the ages
shaking hands
with humble sages
preparing dinner
playing waitress
“so think with me on this,
how did this moment
come to exist” on somethingness
on nothingness
what’s going on
>behind the scenes
before the singer
begins to sing
imagine what went in
to that note
before this
moment
was composed
“pennies from heaven”
a poor man like me
who might chronically
underachieve
but you know
somedays I’m so sure
somedays I believe
Oh Mary, your faith was so great
“there’ll be pennies from heaven for you and me”

Source: The Author, 2017

Niagara Falls by Alan Dugan

Alan Dugan
Alan Dugan, 1923-2003

We saw it all. We saw the souvenir shops, and sitting
on the mist above the falls, the brilliant signs
saying hotels to love in, cigarettes to smoke,
souvenirs for proof; we give you anything you want,
even towels. Our disgust was as stylized as billboards,
and we suggested to ourselves that even our sympathy
for the ugly people of the off-season was outworn.
But here it was, nevertheless, the ferocious, spastic
enjoyment, the hotels like freight-yards or packing crates,
the lights that murder sight, and the community snicker.
The falls, of course, continued with great dignity.

Source:  Poetry,  April 1947,  p 12.

Italian Angel of Gelato by C.D. Onofrio

 

C.D. Onofrio
C.D. Onofrio playing at Taps Brewery, Niagara Falls

Italian Angel of Gelato
Watching over me
a plea
a very simple plea
don’t you ever change what you do or the way you are
Italian Angel of Gelato
Saint of Christ
Christian Spiritual Warrior
Italian Angel of Gelato
We are a part of something
We didn’t know it until we were
We didn’t say anything,
no formal announcement
no insignia or trademark
or logo

Ice Cream!
Italian Ice Cream – located at 5458 Victoria Ave., Niagara Falls,Ontario

We knew it when we felt it
looking into angelic eyes
high on the holy
and saintly and wise
delving into life’s simple pleasures
and finding God there
sitting back and listening
and finding God there
playing like children
and finding God there
sharing a drink
and finding God there
opening small doors with sophisticated handles
and finding tartuffo as far as the eye can see
the delicate look on the little girl’s face as she touches her tongue
to her first bite of strawberry ice cream
and to know the sort of spirit that went into it
it’s like innocence meets innocence
and when they shake hands
there’s a holy moment subtly happening
hoping that time is a playful little child
laughing with her tongue out
and minding not the least that gelato melts down her chin
she holds her spoon up in the air like a magic wand
waving her elated little hand for mamma
to come and share in her treasure
and mamma looks right into her
and makes a note to remember

(Inspired by Italian Ice Cream and its owners, the Vergalito family)

Source: C. D. Onofrio, 2017

 

To The Old School House on Lundy’s Lane by E. Anglian

When time with ruthless wings sweeps on,
    The earth of all its bygone best is shriven;
And so, old edifice, thy day is done;
    The newer day asks more than thou hast given.

In honest hearts a thought for thee enshrined,
    Of sheltering walls in days almost forgot;
When knowledge forced on the unwilling mind
    Saved many from ignominy's cheerless lot.

Man's mind is like a shallow streamlet flowing,
    Forever winding onward to the sea
Of time's oblivion, and the growing
    Like rare immortal fountain, starts with thee.

Prayers offered have ascended from thy walls
    For benefits the which our fickle mind
Scarce can remember, yet those earnest calls
    Brought sweet, refreshing mercy to mankind.

If in the rushing years that are to be
    No steadfast stone of memory marks thy end,
When rich endeavor finds its tide in thee,
    Thou has not been in vain, old hoary friend.

 

 

Source: Niagara Falls Evening Review, December 22, 1915.

 Before the poem: “I see that the old school has already been pulled down. It was, I believe, also used as a church, and this, with other things, caused me to write these new lines, which, if you think worthy, I shall be glad to see printed in your paper.”