Oscar Hijuelos

a tenor sax
plays on
in an smoky
uptown ballroom
Oscar and the Mambo Kings

to the refugees who drowned within sight of hope

offshore at Lampedusa
the now calm sea
tries to hide
its
shame

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President

a hero of many
a bottle- they said
but who was the real
Franklin Pierce ?



in memory of Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, the 14th President

born November 23, 1804
died October 8, 1869