A hot and muggy afternoon
of summer. My family
is moving, again...
Weary walls & graffiti
across the hallway.
In the building, in a corner
a drug addict is shooting
dope, and others dazed
not far from my door.
The ambulance, a keening wail,
echoes by the neighborhood,
barreling through traffic,
impolitely moving cars,
rushing the overdosed addict to the hospital.
And I’m looking out the window,
trash-filled street & husks of burnt cars,
children running around them;
fire hydrant madly spewing water to the sky.
A hot and muggy day
of summer. My family
is moving, again...
Weary walls
graffiti across the hallway.
-
Author:
rrodriguez (
Offline) - Published: October 13th, 2017 15:02
- Comment from author about the poem: My teen years were a deciding factor in who I'm today. We lived in Charlotte Street in South Bronx. I've vivid memories of that neighborhood and the years I lived in the Bronx. Those were years of a wayward life and of much pain.
- Category: Reflection
- Views: 61
- Users favorite of this poem: Accidental Poet
Offline)
Comments6
A mournful and most moving scene you paint of an area which could never uplift the spirit - thank you for sharing your young life in such frightening surroundings dear friend and am so pleased you were able to make a new start in better conditions.
Thank you Fay for reading my poem and for taking the time to write such a moving comment.
Such a pain in the way you write this. Terrible surroundings a child shouldn't see but you overcame it all! Good for you! Thanks for sharing this with us.
Indeed! I don't know why my parents took us to such a place. All the buildings and communities were run down. This was the 70 and the South Bronx was a bad place to live in. Thank you for reading my poem and commenting. Oh, let me say this. Parents should always think about their children first when it come to communities and places to live.
Sometimes, they are too poor to afford anything else. My mom always said "being a parent doesn't come with a handbook!" I don't know.
Your poem paints a true and moving picture of life in the Bronx during your young years. Very well written. I like the repetition of stanza 1 at the end.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading the poem. I wrote it because this experience made me who I'm today. I survived thank God and His grace. Thank you!
I have lived in some tough places, but none like the South Bronx of the 70s. You are very lucky man just to have survived. Here you describe it well, and add your personal experiences as well. It is an enlightening read and held be fascinated. Good one. - Phil A.
Phil, thank you for reading my poem. I always enjoys your comments. They bring perspective. Thank you again.
I love the imagery! I can play a movie in my head from reading this.
Thank you for reading my poem and for commenting. I will check your writing soon.
Not a comforting place to grow up. But you did and overcame the negativity of it's influences. And from it you learned valuable lessons assured. Great reflective write. Thanks for sharing. ; )
Thank you AP for reading my poem and giving it your comments. Indeed, it was a very negative place to grow up, but I survived and moved on. I now look up the place in the internet and I'm appalled how bad it was. Thank you!
You're very welcome. ; )
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