I lived in park heights, no black or sweet delights unless it was the now and laters bought from the store or the girls playing jump rope or dancing on the floor.
I come from fried chicken, fat beef patties that lay between thick white bread that turned red when ketchup didn't do what it was suppose to when bitten into to.
I was raised in Pimlico, had to catch the yellow bus home because bullies chased you home if you weren't tough enough.
I grew up around vacant houses, empty like crackheads without crack, just their empty heads left to think about their children and their disappointments.
I lived around east, where chaos reigned with childhood leased out to me, running away but never for a long stay.
Remember baby bottle pop or push ups or sweet lived and icy frozen cups that Loretta from around the corner used to sell.
Remember the neighborhood kids and that lady with the Jamaican house that smelled like cats and incense when you walked in.
Remember you had to be home before the street lights came on.
Remember granddad sat on the porch with his forty and hollered at the young shawty whose name was dreama.
Remember blue shirt, khaki pants, green pants, blue shirt, yellow shirt, khaki pants, now white or black shirts and khaki pants. Nothing has changed that much.
Remember lighting bugs, catch them with your hands, dance and set them free.
Grandma was set free. Mom didn't go drug free, mom forgot to hug me, love me.
Kids continued to tug and bug me. Woodland apartments knocked down from floor three.
Lived on Presbury st, lived on Presstman st, lived on Normount st, lived on Greenmount st, lived in Fredrick county, Lived on Longwood st, lived everywhere temporarily.
Everyone knew Tammi.
Everyone knew Debbie.
Everyone knew about Mondawmin
Everyone knew Liberty Heights
Everyone knew Santa Marias
Everyone knew the Lords Church
Everyone knew Kellie and her kids
But nobody even really knew her.
Nobody knew about how Otis died.
Nobody knew about how much I cried.
Nobody knew what happened to my cat, Sam?
Where am I bound to be, damn?