Ice Cream Truck

Individual boxes,
with ice creams
and other sweet treats

all arranged in a big truck,
a staple when school gets out.
Children line-up for their cold sweets.

The anonymous street vendor
doesn’t say much, all dressed in white.
He wears ear plugs to tolerate the sound

a high pitched tune
from a forgotten nursery rhyme
or some variation of Turkey in the Straw

played on a never ending loop.
Kids of all ages respond to the tune
with a dollar in their hand

choose a Dreamsicle, Fudgicle
Heath Bar or Bomb Pop, maybe
some chewing gum or Tootsie Roll pop.

Years ago a Good Humor man
pushed a cart, now someone like him
can be seen walking around the parks

but he speaks Spanish
his freezer packed with different treats;
paletas, respados, and other flavors.

One sure sign summer is here
the cling, cling of the ice cream man
and a melody heard down the street.