Ghetto Blues: Summertimes and Sugar Sandwiches

The DJ's threw jams in the park on the block. Rainbow coquitos and skelzie tops. Since the concrete is hot, get a wrench for the hydrant. Get a bucket, it's the next best thing to the pool. The lil' shorties jumpin' double-dutch, the music in the air. Catch-n-kiss, you tried to catch the one that had the curly hair. Freeze tag, put your foot in. We're about to get a game... The piragua man is comin' so you call your mother's name. Either that or Mr. Softee, get a dollar if you could. Just the everyday activities when livin' in the hood. 7:30, be inside before the lights come on. Leave the park, beat the dark, feet leavin' sneaker marks. If the elevators broken, you gotta walk to your floor. Say, "peace out" to your homies before you walk in the door. Wash your hands before dinner, "Don't you go in them pots!" That's what your mother says but all the while, you're all in the pots. Fried Chicken, white rice, a few slices of bread. It might be all we have but please make sure the Kool-Aid is red. Gotta get your homework done to watch your show on the tube. Bedtime, you wash your body then you jump in the bed. Say your prayers before you do it...show you're grateful to God. Close your eyes and dream about the things that bring you relief. Gunshots and sirens are the lullaby that rocks you to sleep. Good Night.

Truly Yours,

Mitch Hennessy

Time: Too Much, Never Enough or None At All

This was inspired by a blog posted by a high school alum(What's up MeMe?). She talked about how these "social sites" allow you to get reaquainted with old friends and such. It made me think about it thoroughly...to myself, I say word. I've been able to catch up with cats I haven't spoken to in a decade. Cats that I've grown up with...The other night while IM chatting with one of those old "cronies" I asked him about other members of our crew and some of the news shocked me. See, he & I grew up in the projects together...and by the mighty grace of God, we were able to make it out. He expressed his joy over the fact that we were able to do it. A lot of our friends were not so lucky. So many of them died so young...and if they weren't dead, they were away in prison doing heavy time. In my opinion, prison is death as well...freedom is life and without that, you're dead. He told me how two of our boys were doing time. Heavy time...time...the concept of time is funny when you think about it. When you're free, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to do all of routined duties. When you're locked up, the time can't go by fast enough. After my friend expressed this joy he had, I thought about it with a calculating thought process. I looked out of the window of my current residence and for the first time in a long time, I thought about those project buildings. All this time, I'm looking down on the fact that I'm not where I want to be...Shamefully, I thought...at least I'm not where I was. When we were young, we didn't look at it like the ghetto...we were busy enjoying our youth. Flippin' on dirty mattresses, playing manhunt, skelzies, etc. That was life...growing up in that life is what caused some of our friends their death. Touching bases with these old friends has made me reminisce about those times more often. On one hand, I miss it there...but if you asked whether or not I would want to live there again, the answer would be an emphatic NO!!! Because I know now what I didn't then...Thank God for age and wisdom. That's why I'm never ashamed to tell people my real age...some of my friends won't get the chance. I do this for them. Peace & Freedom















Truly Yours,



Mitch Hennessy