The Doves, The Clown, & The Camel [by Mitch Sisskind]

Aiuppax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under the aegis of Joey Aiuppa (Doves Aiuppa,
Joey The Doves Aiuppa, Mourning Doves Aiuppa)
No one could be killed (whacked) in Elmwood Park  
So you had to get a scumbag (mope, numb-nuts)
Across Harlem Avenue in order to whack him. 
You couldn't even bring a gun to Elmwood Park
During the Aiuppa years. What about Melrose Park?
Things were kind of more lenient in Melrose Park
Although it was the birthplace of Mourning Doves,
And River Forest? That was like the Wild West 
Where Accardo, Spilatro, and Moony Giancana 
Had residences and where Moony (Momo) took
A couple of .22s to the coconut after which Doves
And Tony Accardo (Joe) moved to Palm Springs.

Lombardo

Now here's something you might find interesting.
While many gangsters were moving  to the suburbs
One man, Joey Lombardo (Lomby, Lumpy, the Clown)
Stayed on Ohio Street in Chicago with his wife Marion. 
Even after Lumpy and Marion got divorced Lomby
Just moved downstairs into the basement. Why? 
Perhaps there were some financial machinations 
Going on but probably Lumpy just felt attached 
To the Grand Avenue and Western Avenue environs 
Where he grew up. Of course he disliked being called 
The Clown which the various news media persisted
In calling him whenever his name came up just like
Tony Spilotro disliked being called the Ant or how
Tony Accardo always insisted on being called Joe.

Camel

A mysterious and even a spectral presence among
The gangsters was Murray the Camel, also called 
Curly or Murray the Hump. Extremely intelligent, 
Always well-dressed, Murray the Camel generally 
Eschewed violence in favor of bribery or blackmail 
To achieve the Outfit's ends, and he was known as
A philanthropist in Norman Oklahoma where he met
Clemi, his first wife. They divorced but stayed friends
While at his home in Chicago he built a playhouse
For his daughter in the backyard and he helped
Many gangsters get back on their feet when
They got out of jail. When he took Sidney Korshak 
Under his wing as the Outfit's fixer in Hollywood 
The Hump said, "Sid, don't forget who you work for."