South Side Summer In the City (Pt.1 of Many)

She and I rocked the South Side
Right up there
On that Project Roof
She and I being silly
Danced to the music coming the ice cream truck
Like it was the truth
Never thinking twice about a cone or a cup
Could care less about rainbow sprinkles or chocolate syrup
Cause up there
On that Project Roof
We Laughed!
Laughed like growing old was not an option
Laughed like when it came time
We would dodge stress like the draft
And throw our poverty cards in that fire
That was in that can
That was in that alley
That our single parents told us to keep the hell out of
And of course we never listened
Instead, we threw dice with the junkies for no money
Just cause we were there and so were they
Yeah, they dropped jewels like
“Stay in school,
Don’t be no old fool
Cause young blood that ain’t cool”
And just like that
Shots rang out
And just like that
She and I ran to the front
To see where the Pop, Pop, Pop was coming from
Illiterate to safety, we had more fear
For the junkie’s crusty grey lips than we did for a stray
But she and I knew
Common gunplay would not put a damper on our day
And before the junkies could scream out wait
She and I hopped the gate
Got a running start
And grabbed the ladder to fire escape
We climbed six stories embracing our youth
And found ourselves out of breath laughing
Back Up There,
On That Project Roof

By Amon Focus

September 12, 2004