The South Side of Chicago

''The South Side of Chicago'' by David Hart The South Side of Chicago Whence those childhood years were spent Skip-walking upon grimacing cracked sidewalks Hastening through filth floored garbage canned flanked alleyways to-- The forlorn house--windows weeping chrystalline shards-- cascading glass tears "Property Condemned" blared in scarlet on the door. "Someone lives there" it was said, "the man who gathers things from the garbage cans" The pebble strewn church yard, where, in prickly winter, scarved boys coerce the bell to toll with swift flung snowballs catapaulted to a shivering bell tower. The South Side of Chicago, The year of the big church fire That day it did burn and claw At the hot black night sky. People gathered, assembled in solemnity Aghast, huddled and shoving to see That hallowed place whose torrents Of Sunday's serenities and dressups Now would no longer be. The South Side of Chicago There, the swill darkened tavern That nightly gulped down shadow faced spectres A lad cries out, "the bar, someone stabbed in the head, come and see". "Not I", I said, "not a sight I'd care to see", as an acidic sadness enveloped me. The boys came together wearing their jackets and coats--symbols affixed, emblems proudly donned--so they knew who they were. "Wanna join?" "No thanks", I said, "Glad to be just solitary me". I watched them, fighting their rivals With chains, steel pipes and knives Fearing their bloody deeds. Content to be alone Alone and free The South Side of Chicago In cramped classrooms scented in soap and sawdust Mostly attentive I would be Amidst tatterly clothed children --waiting for recess, lunch or time to go home. At recess, the garbage men came And roused a battalion of rats That scattered pell-mell Amidst little girl shrieks and screams Little boys chortling Chased those rats frightened away Far away On the South Side of Chicago 2001DHartUSA