Tuesday Afternoon 8/17

  Well, it is Tuesday. Hilda and I worked (volunteer) at the American Legion last evening for Sirloin Burger Night. It was great fun ... as usual ... and it is always great working with our friends. We did some food shopping today and we are watching TV. Well, at least I am ... she is listening to one of her books on tape. I will get to work a few hours tomorrow and Thursday for David Blye of B&Z Hospitality. That will help our depleted coffers some. I wrote / started to write a new poem a week or so ago and I will put it here and update when needed. Hotel Congress is a "cool" OLD hotel in the middle of downtown where people hang out on the patio ... drinking, eating, talking, being seen.
   From Wikipedia ..."The Hotel Congress is a historic building located in downtown Tucson, AZ. It was built in 1919 in conjunction with the musical venue Rialto Theater  which sits across the street. The rear of the building faces the historic Amtrak station, built by Southern Pacific in 1907. In addition to being a hotel, the Hotel Congress building also houses a restaurant, bar and venue. In 1985, a music venue was opened in the hotel, and has become a prime venue for touring bands playing in Tucson. In February, 2005, the stage was completely redesigned by local latino artist Daniel Martin Diaz. ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons has said that the Tap Room at Hotel Congress is his favorite bar. Hotel Congress has received write-ups in Playboy, SPIN, and Blender—among others. In the June 2007 issue of Esquire magazine, Club Congress was named one of the best bars in America. Club Congress is regarded as being the longest-running venue of its kind west of the Mississippi, and, in part because of this distinction, the Arizona Governor issued a proclamation on July 25, 2005, that Labor Day Weekend, would be known as "Club Congress Weekend". During Labor Day Weekend, the Hotel puts on a three-day, three-night live music event known as "HOCOFest". In 2008, the HOCOFest featured performances by forty live acts including The Meat Puppets.
  Enough of a history lesson I guess. My poem follows: Please don't laugh,I am an amateur, even after all these years.

Hotel Congress Patio

here I sit in downtown Tucson
June 24th, the feast day of San Juan
the date the monsoons historically spawn
it’s a lovely day here in Arizona
yuppie at the next table sips a cold Corona
purveying, he hopes, a cool persona
I, myself, have my own brew
one that’s favored by the working few
it’s not ‘cool’, but it sure will do
there’s construction going all around
high rise buildings cover the ground
that’s the growth going on in town
my gaze lifts to a distant view
the Catalinas gleaming in a light brown hue      
a sight that I wish I could share with you
downtown is really not my place
it’s not that it’s such a big disgrace
I just yearn for a more open space
I adore our desert clime
I think upon it time to time
it influences my every rhyme
out in the boonies, that’s my place
it always brings me to a state of grace
and puts a smile on my ancient face
but the city has good places to dine
a great selection of beer and wine   
and music that is really fine
If only … I could live far away
and travel to town on any given day
but … where would I go, to get away?