Silent white folks in Greendale
walk their dogs by. Loud families
of Black folks come up
to the sidewalk and tumble
out, go up to the
informal day care center
next door, leave after
dropping off their kids.
The ones don’t talk
to the others; in fact no one
says a word except
to their phones.
Everyone’s lawn
was mowed yesterday.
Tonight there will be a full moon.
ICE sits below in the shopping center
lot. Unhoused people
of every race and age stumble
around them. The televisions
speak loudly. The radios
chatter more words than music.
A massage parlor lurks
down the street, unopened
for now. A lot of stores open,
a lot of stores closed up tight.
Trash blows everywhere and goes nowhere.
It all seems to be holding its breath,
from Greendale to Lincoln Plaza.
It’s all waiting to pop
and nothing can yet be said
about Grafton Hill, Vernon Hill,
Tatnuck, or all the rest except
it is all waiting to pop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T