Bullies, stray dogs, our pets
Bandit, Sparkle, Elmo, Jasper, Happy
our pets names from years past
so many buried in the backyard of the old house
Ghosts in the Graveyard, Devil and the Pitchfork
“Buttermilk, Sweet Milk.” “Buttermilk!!”
children playing, tag, laughing, voices from a long lost past
block parties, rollerskates, bike rides
singing with my older sister on endless summer nights
“I swore I’d never get involved, swore I’d never, ever fall in love.”
children grow become teens
gangs, drugs, guns, sex, stolen cars
fun, fun, fun
weed smoking, gun toting, in depth “high” conversations
“Good Enough Diploma” a voice from the past, snuffed out too soon.
Blakc G, Tweety Byrd, the first to die
Poo Deuce, so many more, too many
no not here, not my beloved ‘hood
so hard to let go, the people, the chaos,
the dysfunction, can’t let go
must visit from time to time, see what’s happening,
see what I missed
listening to music, making raps, going on missions
things have changed
but I can’t let go, still gotta see what’s happening
until
a warm day in may
the sound of an AK
death in my face, i left for good
my beloved ‘hood
never to return,
now I just sit back and reminisce
on what was, what could have been and what will never be.