City ...in me [fragment]

when did I forget
lose blood of the streets,

it ran through my body as my
life ran through a gauntlet
mean streets to Main Street
and streets got tougher
and dirtier along the long climb.

Ghetto first-aid a man down
his wallet and bling went up and away
on Main Street they rape whole nations;
Wall Street was built on black ships
blood from every corner of round earth
nothing has changed but the color of  rain
still pain in those canyons of wealth.

A long way home,
and home had moved away;
stood in the coffin of the shell
walls of memories still resisting whitewash
and ammonia doesn’t really hide that under smell,
like perfume flowers and ambergris
there is but one survivor.

Colors have changed, languages and chatter
tunes on the too loud car and RV sounds
line of preteens wearing jeans around mid thigh,
why? Because there are no belts in jail,
and that friend of the friend who knew what to do
and who to do it to; text me, hit me up!

Waiting, watching, thinking, waiting, to enter and
wait for the elevator door to close
institution style slam wham, clunk
memories here too

old church ladies and soft grateful smiles

simply thinking about
not hauling them stairs!