There are a million stories in our naked city and Somerville poet Ed Meek tells us one of them.

Truth in Sentencing

Ed Meek

Crystal Lynn, 22, was arrested
while walking on the bike path
looking back over her shoulder.
She fit the description
of the girl who’d just hit
the East Cambridge Savings Bank
(white female, light hair, sweats).
She’d given the teller a note that said:
Hand over cash
Or I’ll set off a bomb
with my phone.

“I didn’t do it! Another girl did!”
She told Somerville police
when they apprehended her
and searching her person found
one hundred and ten twenty dollar bills
stuffed in the pouch of her hoodie.
“Twenty of that is mine!” she said
as the officer cuffed her and ducked her
into the back seat of the cruiser.

Couldn’t we start over?
Return the money to the bank
Throw the note away
Go back to bed
Just say no
Tell Junior hit the road
Let him pimp someone else
Let him pay his own way

Whatever you do
Don’t drop out of school
Stay in and do your work
Don’t hang out with him
And fail to use protection
Don’t borrow his needle
Don’t get mom’s boyfriend mad
Don’t tell mom
When he touches you
What difference does it make?

What difference does it make now
With your record
five years is a good deal
for armed robbery.

– Ed Meek

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