Rose City

Dear
Rose City
your landscape
threw me
misshapen
buildings
filled
with graffiti
induced a
camera grab
driving
I snap
away your
muraled
bricked
buildings
preserving
everything
you offer
me

So rich
in history
so poor
in other
ways
Philly
cracked
bells and
Liberty
Museums
and library’s
Declarations
of Independence
I carry
you everywhere
along with
some
Thomas Paine
our
Constitution
remains
pretzels
and philly
cheese

Dear
Rose City
your history
intact
the mint
and art
exhibits
markets
and hoagies
cheesesteaks
and Tastycakes
peanut chews
and water ice
soft pretzels
with mustard
please
I’ll take
all six
right away

So rich
in history
so poor
in other
ways
Philly
cracked
bells and
Liberty
Museums
and library’s
Declarations
of Independence
I carry
you everywhere
along with
some
Thomas Paine
our
Constitution
today remains
pretzels
and philly
cheese

Dear
Rose City
I loved
passing
through you
as you
showed me
all your
strife
Visual
street art
said everything
my knowledge
now enhanced
I soak
you in
as I snap
photographing
preserving
exactly
what
you’ve got
breathing
inside you
your lovely
infrastructure
so cracked

You’re
Beautiful
I see
all
your pain
and this
is only
one of
many snaps
and a side
of you
that I
spied
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
United States
Of America
how
I love you
with thanks
you were
honest
with me
you didn’t
hide a thing