Cart and horse scaled streets, some cities have
Alleys couched that way enough the British might say mews,
Doors silent the size to walk through
Not interrogate your journey, big
Mouthing in stasis the importance
Of their place, ready to say not your
Destination; but here, actually home in the alley.
The neighborhood is changing
People are moving in as out
Faster than we can see who is
Going to be here, who the violence will leave
Unclear, who unafraid;
The street scale without moving I could talk across
A line of words as easily as walk
To hand some of the first fresh ripe
Tomatoes I’d hosed clean because I know
You’re going to bite into one right there
Your way to let me know you think I know
How to live across the street