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Poems - Color Line

Color Line

by Zbird

You can tell when you cross the color line
when the neighborhood moves from affluent white
to the poorer mostly black part of town.
Funny how they meet up and yet never
become a part of the other. Just across
the street, from where the historical district ends
with old houses built when the town first
started, are the shanty's and decrepit
homes of the less wealthy, the invisible poor.
Here the lawns are more dirt than grass,
windows in the unpainted homes are broken
and rickety porches fall apart .
You see the kids on the streets,
some of them selling drugs out in
the open not seeming to care if they
are caught. Their dogs sit in their front
yards to guard them against intruders.
The police drive by regularly, turn a
blind eye to the drug dealing until
they need a bust to complete their
monthly arrest quota. Here it's
easy to find someone to arrest.
They stare with distrustful eyes
at those of us who do not seem
to belong in their part of town.
I see it every day as I drive by
on the way to work. I see the silent
decay as I cross the color line.

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"Color Line" | Login/Create an Account | 8

The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by alana on Thursday, February 02, 2012 (07:04:29)

I guess it is so everywhere in the world, it has not got anything to do with color except for the green in the pocket, or bank

| Parent

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by sedubah on Thursday, February 02, 2012 (11:19:35)

happy negro history week Zbird

oh, my bad,
it's a whole month now

when you get a chance read my comment submitted with my poem "For Harry and Rosa"

Happy groundhog day!!!!!!

sedubah

| Parent

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by maryanns on Friday, February 03, 2012 (00:14:29)

| Parent

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by sedubah on Friday, February 03, 2012 (09:56:51)

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Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by starstruck13 on Thursday, February 02, 2012 (11:52:55)

wow a good piece

| Parent

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by maryanns on Friday, February 03, 2012 (00:11:34)

The scariest place I never went were the projects in New Orleans... when I was stationed there we were told even the police don't go into the projects. Remember the coverage of Katrina when reporters said things like 'why didn't they evacuate'... The scariest place I ever saw in person was a section of Camden New Jersey our gps sent us through by mistake. No, we didn't belong there in our shiny new rental car with Massachusetts license plates... I always wanted to take the kids to see the west, to let them know there's somewhere fresh and green. Thanks for sharing, Bonnie - a well-done thinking poem.
Hugs, Mary Ann

| Parent

Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by darlingdiva on Friday, February 03, 2012 (13:59:54)

what thought provoking timely piece. you captured the scene very well with your honest words.

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Re: The Color Line (Score: 1 )
by Pujakins on Monday, April 16, 2012 (15:47:03)

Ah, twas ever thus, I fear. You did a wonderful job describing a very sad situation, and the's no excuse for it either! Thanks for your light here, Hugs and Blessings, Tasha

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Added on: 01-Feb-2012 | Hits: 200 |

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