WHILE WALKING

The disparity among the city 
dwellers were obvious as I walked
along the corridors of bright and 
dimmed lights.

The different levels and styles of
music were distinct.  Conversations
ran its course from university masters
to street doctorates.

The level of dress were a mixture
of  high class hookers, college kids,
the hip and the heavy, those in the know.
eagle to show brand names, self styles
and body culture.

There rides were message senders,
sleek and daring. They were expensive 
and style setting. Daring colors, trend
setting, meant to catch the eye.

There were no signs of racial division
along these corridors.  All different ethnic
groups were holding hands, talking, laughing
and dancing to the beat of soul music.

Drinking the sames drinks, sometimes
drinking out of the same glass. eating the
same foods, doing the same drugs.  All
wanting to belong to this community of souls.

This is a different generation, trying to forget
the history that haunts them. They are willing to
sacrifice their future for one moment in time.

In a different part of the city, the lights were few,
sad music played, mostly blues. Very few cars
were on the streets, people competing against
the rodents for food.

Dwellings that were once filled with laughter,
are now filled  with children and unwed
mothers, apartments are scarcely furnished,
very little food or clothing.

The pimps, drug pushers on every corner, 
draining from the community the life that is
left.  Taking the innocence from the mother's
daughters, age don't seem to matter, replacing
hope with dope.

In a different part of the city the lights were
bright on every corner, at the end of every
driveway and doorway  of it's camouflage
private clubs and majestic homes.

They were seeking to separate themselves
from the corridors of the youth, the so called
trends setters, the poor and underpriviledge.

They played their music from sound proof
rooms, smoked their long pipes from ventilated
 closets, tasted their pure cocaine, dranked
their imported beverages.

They exchanged sexual favors for political
positions in church and state..they makes
decisions that are destructive to the structure
of the community and its people.

This corridor of bright lights, perfectly paved
streets were totally silent from the streets. You
could hear no children crying, no pimps or
drugs were present.

No music was audible, but you could still
sense the  pain.

Poetic Reflections By Gamaliel H. Gooding