My Lawtown

The mills pass by me,
like empty shadows
casting long black cloaks on our past
and future.

Workers died here
trying to make something for their families
a future to do better
a place to learn from all made mistakes,

We were orginized once!
Everyone working at an even pace
but then racism came
and never left,

Now I walk along broadway,
Seeing the generation that our ancestors worked so hard for
What a waste.

Addicts trying to find their next fix.
Hustlers feeding that addiction.
Girls getting in and out of cars, in a 30 minute time peirod.
45 year old great-grandmothers with their 30 year old daughters, 15 year old grand daughters and one year old great-grand daughters, yes that cycle countinued.
I see students skipping school, trying to find a spot to chill.
Cops chilling, looking to fill their daily quotas.
I see Dominicans and Puerto Ricans fighting to see who's better.
I see gangs posted up, Showing their hard.

But the culture is rich,
The smell of spanish freedom fills the air,
Causing our softer sides to come up
The spanish festival is strong and alive
that once a year
where we all get together and combine.

This is my city, my town
My heaven, My hell
This is my Lawrence
aka
My Lawtown