- Josh Friedman
Riches to Rags
Walk 2 blocks,
luxurious penthouses, 5-star restaurants, riches.
2 more blocks
motels, bodegas, poverty.
Hook a right,
but there’s nothing left.
Graffiti, crime, hope
vanished in the thick air
like the last words of a loved one.
The city composed of mystery.
Built from steel,
the concrete jungle arises to huge masses,
but sinks the lives of many under its strong roots.
Sun rises, train zombies creep up
from the underground terminal.
Sun sets, everyone’s still vigorously hard at work.
It’s a grind few can maintain.
Survive and you’re set for life.
Fail and you’ll find yourself sprawled across 5th and Madison hoping to never
confront the man who did the job you could never do.