Urban Jungle

Bright neon red, flashing open,
Blink on and off, beckoning.
Sidewalk broken off in sections,
Pitfalls for the unwary walkers.
Puddles of rancid water, reflections.

Fliers on the telephone poles,
Faded ink, barely visible.
Vestiges of yard sales and missing dogs.
Trash, flung from passing cars, careless,
End up in the gutter making water clog.

Kitty corner stands a red nosed clown,
Selling balloons that nobody buys.
He sells cocaine and other treats,
To the junkies who frequent his stand.
'Cept when the cops walk the beat.

Carloads of children, dressed in gang colors,
Ride back and forth on patrol.
No eye contact is made, heads are kept down,
If they don't see you all the better.
They jump out, beat a man in brown.

It's a hot night, nothing ever changes,
Good is gone, bad gets worse.
Animals in the zoo are the only ones safe,
Locked up behind bars and concrete.
Still life goes on, in the urban jungle,
The drums of trouble beat, beat, beat.