downtown stubble rubs gritty
tenement windows broken
night escort working pretty
pimp keeps tight grip on token
street addicts living nitty
homeless die for opiates
poor men don’t want no pity
just need to beat jobless rates
how survive stinking city
urban education rules
alley thugs share thieves’ kitty
gangstas teach in dropout schools
In need of some urban renewal? Find more city poems with Jilly at dVerse Poets.
a poem in my pocket 
Apr 14, 2018 @ 09:13:52
Tight rhythm and rhymes, lynn__! A blistering portrait of the troubles in far too many cities!
Apr 14, 2018 @ 11:39:41
Thanks for your comments, Frank!
Apr 14, 2018 @ 12:10:47
My pleasure, lynn__! 😇
Apr 12, 2018 @ 13:23:23
Well I smiled at the title and then was totally sobered by the poem itself. The seemy side of the city. And you’ve used a Boston accent with your gangstas! It’s wicked smaht!
Apr 12, 2018 @ 20:35:13
Now you’ve made me smile 🙂
Apr 11, 2018 @ 21:39:16
In some schools gang culture is so prevalent that it does seem as if the gang leaders have more pull than the actual teachers. Even indirectly. What a cycle to be caught up in. Love the title.
Apr 11, 2018 @ 22:28:53
Thanks for stopping by!
Apr 11, 2018 @ 19:29:41
Sadly this is part of city life too ~ I see a lot of homeless and drug addicts in the city streets ~
Apr 11, 2018 @ 19:52:49
Some problems seem entrenched…
Apr 11, 2018 @ 12:51:26
The title fits perfectly with your write. Sadly, every city has all these elements in growing numbers. A good job!
Apr 11, 2018 @ 14:22:01
Thanks, Vivian. I grew up in a big city…there’s good and bad but the problems are challenging!
Apr 11, 2018 @ 12:11:51
Nice sound and rhyme on city.
Apr 11, 2018 @ 03:20:14
I love the rhymes in this, Lynn, and the opening lines evoke seediness and squalor::
‘downtown stubble rubs gritty
tenement windows broken’.
Apr 11, 2018 @ 06:40:27
I tried to set the stage…thanks!
Apr 10, 2018 @ 20:16:46
Seems unfair that there is only a ‘Like’ button on here. Just imagine the ‘Love’ button had been clicked. This is fabulous! Especially that last line.
Apr 10, 2018 @ 20:17:57
Thanks, Jilly….I LOVE your comment!