Get Up Off The Sidewalk
Lawrence S. Pertillar 1947 (Connecticut)
Doesn't it seem these unusual days.
That those who accuse others,
Especially us.
Would go out of their way.
To blame it claimed,
Their quality of life is being destroyed.
And no one else can better do it.
Than themselves to publicly display that!
'Help me understand something.'
'I'll do the best I can.
What is it that you don't understand?'
'We are standing here,
Minding our own business, right?'
'I hope you're going to keep this simple.
And not turn it into one of those,
Multiple choice test.
Then to argue over my answer.
Okay.
I'll play along.
My answer to your question is...
Yes!'
'Then tell me this...
Why are those folks across the street,
Yelling in protest and creating havoc?
To accuse and blame us,
Allegedly.
For destroying 'their' way of life.
To come walzing into 'our' neighborhood.
With the police protecting what 'they' do.
Awaiting for 'us' to protest against it?'
'Oh...that?
When do you remember,
It to have ever been...
They stayed where they lived.
To know where to go to do what they do,
Without being threatened to be arrested?
With it known without us shouting back,
No attention would they get at all.
Come on let's go.
Before they notice we notice,
Too familiar these tactics have become.'
'You know what's crazy?'
'They do that to get themselves attention.
And all we do,
Is walk around minding our own business.
To get unwanted attention.
With the police to leave,
Where those folks are right now...
To profile every move we make!'
'They want to make sure where we go,
We arrive there safely!'
'LMAO'.
'Get up off the sidewalk laughing.
I'm serious.'
'I know you are.
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Submitted by lpahtillah on August 31, 2021
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:27 min read
- 8 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XXABCXDX E XX XX XXXFBXXX XXXAGXXHD CFXXHXXXIAX G JHAJXXX IG EA X |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,547 |
Words | 294 |
Stanzas | 12 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 1, 2, 2, 8, 9, 11, 1, 7, 2, 2, 1 |
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"Get Up Off The Sidewalk" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/108190/get-up-off-the-sidewalk>.
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