*

Every great while I put a poem of my own in the Lyrical. I read this at a recent gathering of Somerville poets at the Arts Armory. I think this is a subject we can all relate to.

Gentrification

Maybe not seeing the sun’s
rise and fall
because of the damning exclamation points
of concrete towers
is not important.

The world should
have a dark predator
shark’s grin.

Everything is a flash
in the proverbial pan
after all.

Wipe away the old brick
and cobblestone
the sawdust from the wooden
floors from the corner pub.

Let the battalions
of bull dozers
and Mack trucks
wipe the slate clean.

Look out of your
luxury condo
to the asphalt Alzheimer’s
of a parking lot.

And,
There is not one errant stain
on your stainless steel
kitchen….

— Doug Holder

________________________________________
To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu