Dec. 10

Why Not Love? By Janet Fagal

For Jeffrey “Tony” K.

Jets and Sharks rumble behind strong city chainlink,

Tony and Maria, joyously hopeful, lock hearts on sturdy iron fire escape,

culture, differences, attraction, hate, rivet together West Side gang members

so blindly, they fight and die beneath steel bridge beams.

Strong structures built to last, watch and ask: why not love?

Why not acceptance?