northfifthstreet poem #16

people drive their kids to school
these days even when they live
nearby guess they feel they have to
streets are too risky too dangerous
cars line up before my house it’s next
to the schoolyard the pounding bass
of their music shakes the pavement
a rapper heard down the block shouts
pimp the bitch pimp the bitch pimp
the bitch as kids climb from opened
doors their schoolbags on their backs

This article appears in May 26 – Jun 1, 2011.