Chicagoetry: Division Street: Two Americas

DIVISION STREET: TWO AMERICAS

This side the dark and hollow bound
lies there no unexplored ground?

1986: Ashland to Western,
Freedom Fighter Promenade.
Poets, musicians, crack whores and junkies,
teachers and tradesmen smarting from the

Clampdown, finding communion.
Fighting to be free,
freedom of EXPRESSION, freedom from
OPPRESSION.

Zakopane, Phyllis', Gold Star,
Czar Bar, Leo's Lunchroom, Duk's Hamburgers,
Mexican dance bars, the City's Clean Needle

van. Se vende . . . 2006: Boutiques, wine-bars,
banks and condos, Cliche America straining to be
both rich and

hip.

Western Avenue=Division.
Roberto Clemente inaugurates Fresh America.
Paseo Boricua, Freedom Fighter
Promenade, where flags of fire-born steel

wave in perpetuity.

Communion Street, COMMUNITY, "No Se Vende!"
Americans claiming their singular identity, Port
Richard as Plymouth Rock. We remain OURSELVES,
we claim our freedom to SIGNIFY . . .

Two Americas in tandem, one invisible wall,
Freedom's Phoenix Rising past Freedom's glossy

fall.

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J. J. Tindall is the Beachwood's poet-in-residence. He can reached at jjtindall@yahoo.com. Chicagoetry is an exclusive Beachwood collection-in-progress.