Draeger's

Draeger’s

Oh, I know.

But you tire of the constant

yakety schmack, the

doo wah diddy and the hoi polloi.

Today you go where the

cheeses are lined up six deep,

where the cakes wear prom dresses and the

deli slices are as thin as a

politican’s promise.

Never mind that you don’t belong here.

Give your carcass to the poor some other time.

Buy a Chilean fruit that you can’t

afford and feel the currency

smoosh between your teeth.

If you board the elevator and

perform a time-step it will

take you to the miniature

golf course on the roof.

Place a hole-in-one in the

lobby of the Empire State Building and the

still-living Frank Sinatra will

sing a few bars of Summer Wind as he

hands you the most beautiful

lemon meringue pie in the world.

Because at Draeger’s,

we know what you

want before you do.


From Michael J. Vaughn: Collected Poems

Notes: Had a girlfriend who lived across from Draeger's, a luxury grocery store in Menlo Park, CA. Even in the impoverished life of a writer, it's nice to have a chance to experience a little decadence.