Railroad Ties

by Robin Bennett
(New Orleans, LA. USA)

Overgrown weeds
and the unfamiliar poor,
live on the other side
of carefully placed
railroad ties.
The scenery is
sponsored by welfare.
A vision in spray paint heaven-
graffiti the poetry of the streets.

I’m sheltered.
I don’t speak impoverished.
Innocent pictures drawn
in sidewalk chalk,
now white ghosts traced
in the asphalt street.

A whole neighborhood of,
crumbling houses.
Decorated in
hospital green chipped paint.
Begging for a manicure-
Each cemetery garden,
is all brittle boned
and grey.
Like Mr. Kelly on
his last day.

My middle class mind,
wondered why so much
furniture lived outside.
Bodies scramble to
get the perfect
seat to a live action movie.
Ripe with gun shots,
and open air drug
deals.

I smell pine cleaner, boredom
and death. Hope has never
lived here.