Beat Nick

HOME

It was months before Christmas

When all through my pad

There was nothin happenin

It was really quite mad

All my stockings were washed

I had nothin to do

‘cept read old magazines

and pretend they was new

And my dear Daddy-O curled up for his nap

But I was all flip

and ready to snap

All the cats were just winkin about forty times

But I was just hangin

and makin up rhymes

When out on the street

I heard somethin go down

It couldn’t be good

There’s always trouble around

I went to the wind-a and unlocked the gate

I shut off the light and peeked through the grate

The glare from the streetlight broke the night like a stick

And made all the livin thin’s beneath it look sick

When what to my wonderin eyes fall upon

But a Red Checker Cab with it’s off-duty light on

Now the drive-a played bongos, so lively and quick

I knew in a moment it must be Beat Nick

And the gang of street color had heard and they came

But Nick, he was cool, and called ‘em by name

Yo Dash-a Yo Dance-a Yo Prance-a Yo Vixen

Heh Dopey Heh Sleepy Heh Grumpy and Nixon

Clear off that stoop! Don’t write on that wall!

Now go away! Go away! Go away all!

He came ove-a and looked up at the fire escape ladda

He jumped and he climbed He made such a clatta

To the roof he went, but then turned around

Cause you see up there, no chimney he found

He was dressed to the Nines in some very cool threads

His color this evenin, as always, was Red

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

The goatee on his chin was as white as the snow

His shades were quite dark and fit him just right

He had no trouble seein, awl-though it was night

The stub of a camel he held tight in his teeth

And the smoke rin’s encircled his head like a wreath

I laughed when I saw him, HA, he made me quite nervous

All he said was, " This is cool, Momma, not at all like Port Jervis"

He started to play a cool riff on his drum

Kept on eye on his cab A tow truck might come

He snapped his fingas at the end of his poem

Said, " It’s been cool baby, but it’s time to be goin’"

He jumped in his taxi

His power steerin squealed

He laid down some rubba as he spun his back wheels

And I heard him exclaim as he ran a red light

"Cool."