a collaborative poem informed by patrons at 3rd street bar on the evening of july 13th 2017

a familiar space
but a new night
(it’s the end of a two-year era)

many memories felt
and many more to make
in this city once so unfamiliar
now
we think we are home

(some) have (some) hope

—
money speaks on every corner.
even the most blighted of corners.
those who come will go;
those living with luxury leave luxuriously when they go
—

“comeback city”
says the boy in the tigers jersey
from the burbs
corona hat adorned

the one who grew here
says
“it’s a just place”

and the one now back
(just visiting from the big citay)
remarks
“I didn’t think about anything Detroit because I don’t think about Detroit anymore”

our era ends as one friend leaves
he “likes” it
but must go now

another moves [on] too

like any good love
i love this place so much it makes me want to rip my hair out
(k says if detroit were a person it would be ryan gosling)
(i don’t know what that means)

will there be a happy ending?
does it end?
this beautiful, aggravating, wonderful challenge?
one day, we will/will we see
until then, Hamms