Small Detroit Poem for October 21

I fell asleep
dreaming of Detroit.
The lost manufacturing jobs
and the papers my grandpa
used to sell on the corner
of Livernois Avenue.

In other words,
I fell asleep
missing you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where Have All the Cupcakes Gone?

Do you remeber Paula Cole's song, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" I've replaced her cowboys with a craving for cupcakes. Where have all the cupcakes gone? I used to live four blocks away from a cupcake bakery in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. On a daily basis I walked by the storefront and was greeted with cupcakes that looked like a piece of art. I am in Metro-Detroit now and can't find any cupcake stores. Help!
Read more

I Don't Want to Write About This

Have you ever tried NOT to write about something? The topic might scare you, it might seem intimidating or it might force you to face your own flaws.  I have been trying to not write about this for a few weeks now out of fear and resistance of facing the things I need to work on.  I have to face up to the fact that maybe I'm not as open minded as I thought I was. When I was a kid, I assumed that everyone was treated fairly and with respect.  When I got older, I realized that viewpoint was incorrect.  I grew up in a suburb of Detroit that was very white.  When I was in junior high, the city decided to bus some of the students from the other side of town to our middle school.  This caused an uproar with parents, many of whom were white.  The kids being bussed in were of Middle Eastern descent and it was very clear that the fear felt by others was based on ignorance and discrimination.  Then, I went to college and majored in creative writing and wo...
Read more

I choose to love my life...because it really is wonderful! (Thirties: Part 2)

Image
While drying my hair this morning, I felt hopeful for the day to come.  The sun was bright, birds were singing outside the window and I had just returned from a family vacation in Northern Michigan.  The mere seconds I basked in optimism for the day were thwarted by my own negative thinking.  I began to wonder: "Why would I love my life? I have a low-paying job that forces me to not only work full-time during the day but also at night, I'm a few pounds overweight, the apartment is messy, I don't have enough money and I haven't figured a damn thing out yet! What is there to love?" As soon as I caught myself in the downward spiral of negative thinking I re-routed myself back onto the optimism highway.  I was feeling inspired, damn it! Most of what I harbored on above is true, but what is wrong is my viewpoint, my own outlook on life.  Yes, I have a low-paying job and have to work multiple gigs to make ends meet but I am teaching, a vocation that feels right to...
Read more