Babylon revisited again and again

Babylon revisited again and again

fiction
edward w pritchard

Once
if you lost something precious
you lay in bed and stare across the sky over the Lake at 3am, listening to the ducks and loons
and watch to see a streaking fiery meteor plunge into your old car
the only titled thing you own any more
if it turns out to be rare fire formed platinum, very valuable
you sell that meteor
then move down on the Ohio river
under the bridge that goes to the West Virginia casino
where you went before which was your first Babylon
and if the Meteor and the platinum induced money didn't come
you reread "Babylon revisited" the short story  by F.Scott Fitzgerald
and have to admit that damn could that Fitzgerald boy write
and finally understand why all writing is autobiographical
even if it's not so good