Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Chad Parenteau

Street Smart


Glove river

long gutter


leads to every

busy window


voices break

on through


like sweat 

in faceguards


one of sixteen

wearing masks


uncovered

line up 


fight for first

place, final party.




Crack


Down to count

own fall

 

check shoulders

on the mat

 

yet you

just sit.

 

Junkie nod

sans junk

 

is easy

just wait 

 

and assess

where you are


days end

veins empty

 

fixless fade

to nothing.


Strung out

all legal


beware

life leads


to more drugs

if smart.




White Plight


Streets crack

from total 

accusations.


Every sidewalk

murder rows,

crow circles.


Be like small

towns, scream

proof windows.


Mom pleads 

never go out

and get killed.


Darknesses 

blend better in

urban shadow.


Killers wait

on every block

leading home. 


She stamps out

imagined dangers

from city spine.

 


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