City Life or City Dying
for Marvin Dames

what of people like me who,
night and day,
are usually going the other way
should we not be allowed
our time, our space,
to get through, to get by

why are some allowed
to block the road, the ears
the atmospheres
with booming music
booming shaking earth
and house and sky
through the day
and through the night

not everybody ever
going their way
or wanting their way

should we not all be allowed
sufficient room to pass
sufficient quiet, sufficient peace

should there not be more respect
for all who use the streets
for who want to sleep

not everybody ever
going the same way

should anyone be allowed therefore
to pull us all down one stream,
over board or out to sea

cut me some slack
permit me my piece
permit me some peace

I need an ounce of quiet
as much as air, for life and health
of mind and soul and body

somebody do something
somebody hear me

has music too loud
made who is in authority
deaf as well as dumb

no one with a thing to say
to who makes life in this city
not at all pretty


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2007
3:21 p.m. p.m. 8/11/07