Here's another shot of "Our Family" at Sunrize
in my studio on Maui.
In the bitterly cold nights, in her apartment on Thompson St,
with only the kerosene heater to keep us warm,
my dear Grandmother allowed me to come into her bed.
I would have to pester her for hours first.
She'd always catch me before I could get to her alarm clock.
It made so much noise, I couldn't sleep.
That and the Caberets that went on till 3 a.m.
There were 5 bars on one side of the block,
3 strip joints on the other.
My mother lived on a bench in Washington Square Park.
Alot of people beat the child that needs a mother.
Alot will curse the child and insult the child,
and make the child sleep alone in the cold,
in the funk, in the noise, in the fear.
But my dear Grandmother believed in God,
and she suffered me to come unto her side...
and told me these stories.
All she asked was that I remember someday,
to write them down.
She was always so tired from working on her feet all day
at the Ackerman Pharmacy near the
Empire State Building.
It was so warm and cozy in her bed.
She taught me to say the
"Our Father" and the 23rd Psalm.
She taught me to love all people,
and have compassion for all,
and to be fair and honest in all things.
(For that, the rest of them call me a square
and a goody-goody. A real Polyanna.) Ha!
I didn't have my Grandma for very long.
It took me along time to remember my promice.
These stories have saved my life,
saved me from being a derilect,
saved me from wontonness
and irresponsibility.
They told me the Truth my soul hungered for.
I do hope, they are a blessing to you all as well.
In the shot where you can see the side of the stage,
there's another puppet, Jack-O-Lantern man.
He's part of the Halloween puppet show.
He also Emcee's for this show sometimes.
