A Tale of Two Cities, 2005 By Jasen Sousa
A Tale of Two Cities, 2005
In one city houses are surrounded
by white picket fences
with flowers growing freely on their lawn,
illustrate a picture of a perfect community
and this city would be drawn.
Freshly painted houses never chip,
nothing in this community could be tainted.
Doors stay unlocked
without bars on the windows,
if you get chilly all you have to do is turn up the heat
every time the cold wind blows.
People go to work everyday
accomplishing their goals,
they go home and eat delicious dinners
and always have extra butter
to spread on their rolls.
In one city people are selfish
and only watch out for their own backs,
but today they’re going to take a trip
and see how people
live on the other side of the tracks.
Houses are falling apart,
people’s sidewalks and lawns
are filled with litter.
Look around someone’s house in this city
and it won’t be too long
before you spot a tiny little critter.
Paint has been peeling
off houses for years,
drenched by acid rain
from troublesome tears.
People peek out of their blinds
to catch a glimpse of the sun,
parents don’t let their children go out after dark
because every kid on these streets
either has a knife or a gun.
People stay in bed
because their desire is dead,
they only get up and go to work
to make sure their family is fed.
People get jealous
and crimes are committed,
the hearts that beat in this community are filled with hate
and it will never change unless
their spirits are lifted.
People from this city
have a harder time trying to make it because
the world believes
anything that grows here could not be gifted.
This is a tale of two cities
which takes place in the year 2005.
In one city people leave their house and live,
in the other city people leave their house
and hope to survive.
Taken From
Selected Poems of Jasen Sousa
17-24
©
Comprised of works from:
Life, Weather (First Collection of Poems Written At Age 17) (Not In College)
A Thought and A Tear for Every Day of The Year: A Poetic Diary (Written Between ages 18-19) (Stint at Suffolk University)
Close Your Eyes and Dream With Me (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
Almost Forever (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
A Mosaic of My Mind (Written at Age 24) (Beginning Emerson College)
In one city houses are surrounded
by white picket fences
with flowers growing freely on their lawn,
illustrate a picture of a perfect community
and this city would be drawn.
Freshly painted houses never chip,
nothing in this community could be tainted.
Doors stay unlocked
without bars on the windows,
if you get chilly all you have to do is turn up the heat
every time the cold wind blows.
People go to work everyday
accomplishing their goals,
they go home and eat delicious dinners
and always have extra butter
to spread on their rolls.
In one city people are selfish
and only watch out for their own backs,
but today they’re going to take a trip
and see how people
live on the other side of the tracks.
Houses are falling apart,
people’s sidewalks and lawns
are filled with litter.
Look around someone’s house in this city
and it won’t be too long
before you spot a tiny little critter.
Paint has been peeling
off houses for years,
drenched by acid rain
from troublesome tears.
People peek out of their blinds
to catch a glimpse of the sun,
parents don’t let their children go out after dark
because every kid on these streets
either has a knife or a gun.
People stay in bed
because their desire is dead,
they only get up and go to work
to make sure their family is fed.
People get jealous
and crimes are committed,
the hearts that beat in this community are filled with hate
and it will never change unless
their spirits are lifted.
People from this city
have a harder time trying to make it because
the world believes
anything that grows here could not be gifted.
This is a tale of two cities
which takes place in the year 2005.
In one city people leave their house and live,
in the other city people leave their house
and hope to survive.
Taken From
Selected Poems of Jasen Sousa
17-24
©
Comprised of works from:
Life, Weather (First Collection of Poems Written At Age 17) (Not In College)
A Thought and A Tear for Every Day of The Year: A Poetic Diary (Written Between ages 18-19) (Stint at Suffolk University)
Close Your Eyes and Dream With Me (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
Almost Forever (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
A Mosaic of My Mind (Written at Age 24) (Beginning Emerson College)