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Poetry

Poetry: It’s not supposed to happen here

Heavy tears hang
Over the neighborhood
Touted to be one of the
City's finest
Safest
Places to live

Meth labs have sneaked
Into the periphery
Beatings
Break-ins
And Robberies,
Too

I no longer walk
Along the City's proud
Paths
Or through the parks

There's a playground
A block away
My grandchildren have played there

Apparently, a kid was called
Last Friday evening
To meet someone there
He did
And was indeed called
Home
Murdered

A block away
I was not home at the time

I got back from my meeting
Around 9 p.m.
Amazed and amused
At all the activity
Downtown
Music and people
Food and art
The Friday Night Art Walk

As I neared my neighborhood
There were fewer people
And it was quiet
As usual

My neighbor blew off some firecrackers
Police came by
Angered at the thoughtless noise
Told him of the murder
Of a kid
Just down the block

Who knew?
It's not supposed to happen
Here
It's not supposed to happen
Anywhere

My neighbor wants to leave
I haven't decided anything yet

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

KJ Hooten is a retired interpreter for the deaf in the Flint school system. She has lived in or near Flint since 1970. Besides writing poetry, she has published two children's books, The Egg Nanny Tales and Stories to Amuse the Kids that can be found on amazon.com.

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