GIL FAGIANI

is a poet and a social worker who hosts the Italian American Writers Association's monthly meetings at Cornelia Street café in New York City. His work is collected in many anthologies and he is the author of seven books, including his most recent, A blanquito in el barrio. Here are two from that collection.

LA CAPITANA

Seventy-three year old
Iris Espinosa,
La Capitana for a local
antipovery agency,
receives official notice.
Her petitions appealing
the cutoff of funds for children's
summer street program
have been denied.

Forget summer sprinklers
and closed-off streets.
Forget sixty-dollar stipends
for teenage counselors.
Forget spiced ham sandwiches
for children's lunches.
Forget trips to Central Park
and Randall's Island.

The day after a crowd of junkies
stomp to death a drug dealer
on East 104th Street,
steamed up moms
and laid-off fathers
scream at kids:
"Keep away from yerba smoke
in hallways and courtyards!
Watch out for tecatos
in basements and rooftops!"

Along with ex-counselors,
La Capitana waits till
temperature hits 95 degrees.
Demands transportation money
from Gordo's Candy Store,
Bebo's Barber Shop,
packs Victor, Macho,
Little Johnny, Nyrma, Alicia,
Chucho and any other kid
she can get her hands on
into the Six train.

Getting off at City Hall
La Capitana buys
todos los muchachos
frankfurters with mustard,
onion, sauerkraut
and buys todas las muchachas
triple scoops of vanilla ice cream
capped with chocolate syrup,
nuts and sprinkles.
" Vámonos!Adelante!"
La Capitana hollers.
"Hasta la victoria!"
her troops reply.

On Chambers Street
the East Harlemites
charge into the elevators
of a gray granite building,
race past security guards,
scurrying secretaries,
mob executive office
maple and chrome shiny.
La Capitana bangs a desk
like she's playing the bongos
while white suited men
pull on their ties
and stare at boys' franks dripping
on polished tables
girls' cones dripping on plush rugs.
"104th Street presente!
Los ninos want their money!"


LITANY OF SAN VITO
To Congressman Vito Marcantonio (1901-1954)

San Vito of East Harlem Pray for us
San Vito bread of the poor Pray for us
San Vito crucified by Wall Street Pray for us
San Vito martyr of McCarthyism Pray for us

From the jail cell walls San Vito deliver us
From the backyard crap game San Vito deliver us
From the loan shark's vig San Vito deliver us
From the drunken stupor San Vito deliver us
From TB and asthma San Vito protect us
From the social worker's visit San Vito protect us
From immigration raids San Vito protect us
From the landlord's greed San Vito protect us