City Bound

By Dave Karp

People walking on broken cement that walk on a promised promise land, looking for help as voices whisper “we’re still here” holding their ground that they so love. The cracking wall the boarded up houses where victories were once won the decaying temples that compliment dying faith as they hold each other tighter despite what my T.V. says it’s still home hearts still fighting working long hours to earn just enough to feed my family it’s the toughest grind but it’s my job so that’s good enough for me my duty the street boys playin’ ball in the court next to the lonely brick school touched with nothing but time bounce echo bounce echo bounce echo the cart being pushed by ma, hitting every crack of earth within her mile journey The busses go all night to keep us from getting lost the engines vroom and vroom all night I just wander and the world keeps turning, through empty lots and fields of green covered in cans, paper, garbage bag, and the memories are under them We’re just trying to find some sort of escape, isn’t everyone? They closed down my projects so now it’s just a city of boards boards boards, the chain link fence told me to keep out, but that’s my home, man! Where do I go now? Follow the sirens down the drive and keep going until the sun rises it’s coming someday this dream of mine where I win again the steel bridges and train tracks are next to me and boy is it a sight to see, like a painting of beautiful tragedy and it doesn’t end when we cross the river, it’s in my mind, my heart, my soul as these streets get longer and I meet my friends down on MLK Blvd. while we walk around just talking about living the good life someday man this clock is ticking like dynamite in my head, I’m ready to burst out of this shell and bring em’ all down with rock and roll dreams, that’s the way we come together here, isn’t it? The city of god shines in gas station signs and headlights from 280, they’re only passing by to that island to the right. Man, that’s where I want to be. But for now, I’ll work work work and that’s still alright for me the alarm goes off when the sunrises and I get home when the sun goes down 9-5 dreams down near the factory I’m home now, the bus let me off at a different corner and I walked with my thoughts with nothing to say, kiss my wife and my children, and I hit the pillow with a heavy head and a smile before I shut my eyes.