Login
|
Join PoetrySoup
Home
Submit Poems
Login
Sign Up
Member Home
My Poems
My Quotes
My Profile & Settings
My Inboxes
My Outboxes
Soup Mail
Contest Results/Status
Contests
Poems
Poets
Famous Poems
Famous Poets
Dictionary
Types of Poems
Videos
Resources
Syllable Counter
Articles
Forum
Blogs
Poem of the Day
New Poems
Anthology
Grammar Check
Greeting Card Maker
Classifieds
Quotes
Short Stories
Member Area
Member Home
My Profile and Settings
My Poems
My Quotes
My Short Stories
My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder
Soup Social
Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us
Member Poems
Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Random
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread
Member Poets
Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest
Famous Poems
Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100
Famous Poets
Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War
Poetry Resources
Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Email Poem
Your IP Address: 18.188.29.0
Your Email Address:
Required
Email Address Not Valid.
To Email Address:
Email Address Not Valid.
Required
Subject
Required
Personal Note:
Poem Title:
Poem
Once "City of Big Shoulders," Stockyards and industrial concerns: A man's self-worth measured By muscle and energy burned. Today the stockyards are shuttered, The Face of Livelihoods changed; From Meat-packing and Manufacturing--- To Financial Services and Video Games. Serving loyally with blind dedication, Following only a high school education, Lifetime stints at one factory or plant, Today simply ain't where it's at: Mere shards of memory Of what life was before Everyone had a college degree, And sought work in a plush office indoors, As opposed to lifting heavy two-by-fours. Looking back at Chicago's history Over the last century, Our task is this simple question to ask: Have we moved ahead and progressed? Are our lives any better? Or have we reversed and regressed--- Spending the prime of our lives studying letters? It's easy to end a poem on such a note, Leave the reader to cast his or her vote; But I'll not finish off with a nod a wink, I'll let you know what I actually think: Chicago was rough, Chicago was tough, Her denizens coarse and gruff; Not much for culture or fashion, Artists and poets she was constantly bashin.' Workingmen reveled in their muscles, Frequently engaging in tussles With their bosses over hours and wages, Oft-ending in fisticuffed rages--- And the workers sentenced to 6' x 8' cages. Gangsters like Capone and Dillinger flourished, By slimy politicos encouraged To extort and shake down Workingmen all over town, At deserted sites with nary a copper around. Sometimes we look back and forget how it was, When education and the arts were slighted, And even good neighborhoods were blighted: Where an ugly picture emerges Of exploitation and funeral dirges. So let us be grateful for what we have in some precincts today, And hope that Chicago's future points to an even brighter day.
CAPTCHA Preview
Type the characters you see in the picture
Required