deepundergroundpoetry.com
The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
Constructs of stone, mortar, asphalt and glass
rise from the rubble, giving birth to a new breed
of poet or bard, philosophers of the street;
poets with a new mindset and a distinguishing class.
From the struggle and the strife,
broken homes or a hard working life,
they come to knowledge hungry,
with a vision seeking the insight.
The ghetto, long used to stigmatize
now emulated by many to seem fashion wise,
has been and will always continue to be
the place of forgetting those we desire not see.
I was born and raised in the ghetto tenements
where clothes hung out the windows and firescapes,
the balcony of the poor on hot summer nights,
the closest we would ever get to a star gazing site.
The music would blast from speakers the in windows
and in barrio the congüeros rhythm would repeat,
the tum, tum of their drums, the ghetto’s heartbeat,
melded together hispanics, negros and mullatoes.
Whether *Chi Towns north side or the *“da” Bronx’s south side,
my home was wherever the rhythm brought us to reside,
the heartbeat of the ghetto that would not subside
because, it is deeply ingrained in my heart and mind.
Note:
*Chi Town(Chicago, Illinois)
*Da Bronx (Bronx, New York)
rise from the rubble, giving birth to a new breed
of poet or bard, philosophers of the street;
poets with a new mindset and a distinguishing class.
From the struggle and the strife,
broken homes or a hard working life,
they come to knowledge hungry,
with a vision seeking the insight.
The ghetto, long used to stigmatize
now emulated by many to seem fashion wise,
has been and will always continue to be
the place of forgetting those we desire not see.
I was born and raised in the ghetto tenements
where clothes hung out the windows and firescapes,
the balcony of the poor on hot summer nights,
the closest we would ever get to a star gazing site.
The music would blast from speakers the in windows
and in barrio the congüeros rhythm would repeat,
the tum, tum of their drums, the ghetto’s heartbeat,
melded together hispanics, negros and mullatoes.
Whether *Chi Towns north side or the *“da” Bronx’s south side,
my home was wherever the rhythm brought us to reside,
the heartbeat of the ghetto that would not subside
because, it is deeply ingrained in my heart and mind.
Note:
*Chi Town(Chicago, Illinois)
*Da Bronx (Bronx, New York)
Written by
marielavoue
(Gypsy Red)
Published 18th Sep 2012
| Edited 22nd Sep 2012
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 9
reading list entries 1
comments 20
reads 4298
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
18th Sep 2012 10:21pm
And now we are getting a full picture of the woman who loves like Red Queen of the Gypsies.
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
18th Sep 2012 11:18pm
One layer at a time, peeled back to reveal more of me.Thanks RT good to know I can still surprise.
Red
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
18th Sep 2012 11:41pm
Exactly, "home" was a plethora of places for some of us. You felt the life of music's beat early on...what a sound of the soul it is. Very good piece!
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
19th Sep 2012 00:03am
Yes, Such is the life of the urban nomad. Thanks Ken, its great that you could relate to my piece.
Red
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
Anonymous
19th Sep 2012 1:32am
I do hear it, Red.
Strider
Strider
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
19th Sep 2012 1:40pm
Then You know what I am talking about Strider, sometimes I get very home sick because I don't hear that heartbeat where I am, but it lives in my memory.
Thanks for the comment.
Red
Thanks for the comment.
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
19th Sep 2012 8:56am
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
19th Sep 2012 1:42pm
So happy I could briefly take you to where I grew up Magda, it is where the woman I am, began. Thank you for stopping by to read my piece.
Red
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
Anonymous
22nd Sep 2012 8:41am
Stark video!
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
22nd Sep 2012 11:35am
Yeah no hollywood here, this is what I knew, my home, my reality.
Thanks Strider
Red
Thanks Strider
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
23rd Sep 2012 9:48am
Ah yes. we have the same version and we have the same products. Good read dear Gypsy Red.
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
23rd Sep 2012 4:20pm
I am certain that many parts of the world have places like it Grace. It is a malaise of humanity to discard the undesirables. Thanks for the comment.
Red
Red
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
28th Sep 2012 7:24am
Honest in black and white
Don't give up the fight, ever...
Woweee I got alot out of it and so
professionally produced. I enjoy your
voice so much.
This was a treat Gypsey Red, glad you
mentioned to me, more please :)
Best wishes
Ricecake
Don't give up the fight, ever...
Woweee I got alot out of it and so
professionally produced. I enjoy your
voice so much.
This was a treat Gypsey Red, glad you
mentioned to me, more please :)
Best wishes
Ricecake
1
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
28th Sep 2012 12:12pm
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
2nd Oct 2012 10:11am
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
2nd Oct 2012 1:30pm
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
6th Oct 2012 10:50pm
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
6th Oct 2012 10:53pm
Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
21st Oct 2012 7:05pm
"The Tum Tum of the drums, their ghettos heartbeat"
beautiful use of words to paint imagery beyond the mind but the ears as well ....
Your pace & delivery work as well, cos' with your vid, it gives us time to absorb that connection to your upbringings which clearly runs very deep in you ....
Thnx for the insight & share ....
Don't feel too homesick, you never know what's around the corner huh ....
beautiful use of words to paint imagery beyond the mind but the ears as well ....
Your pace & delivery work as well, cos' with your vid, it gives us time to absorb that connection to your upbringings which clearly runs very deep in you ....
Thnx for the insight & share ....
Don't feel too homesick, you never know what's around the corner huh ....
0
re: Re: The Ghetto’s Heartbeat
22nd Oct 2012 2:44pm
Never feel TOO homesick I keep the good in my heart and the bad left it behind. Thank you the great comment.
Red
Red