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RELUCTANT
SUBURBANITE
ADRIFT
IN A SEA OF BEIGE NORMALITY
WHO
SAILED WITH THE POSSIBILITIES
OF
SHELTER, OF WORK, OF AN INTERESTING FUTURE.
THEN
LANDED ON AN ANNEXED ISLAND OF CONFORMITY
THAT
PROBABLY SHOULDV'E NEVER EXISTED.
GREEDY
SUBPRIME INVESTORS
POPPED
THE MORTGAGE BUBBLE
CREATING
THIS OVERABUNDANCE
OF
DWELLINGS, PANICKED REALTORS,
FALLING
PRICES, VACANCY, WEEDS.
MID
CONSTRUCTION BANKRUPTCY,
ABANDONED
CHAIN-LINK STRIP MALLS.
I
KNOW MY PLACE IS IN A THRIVING
URBAN
CORE SOMEWHERE
WITH
VITALITY AND CULTURE.
BUT
THE BAD ECONOMY CREPT UP ON ME
SLOWLY
LIKE A TREE STRIPPED OF ITS BARK:
IT
LIVES FOR A WHILE, THEN WILTS
IRREVERSIBLY.
HOPE
SPROUTS AGAIN IN THIS OUTLYING
SCARSCAPE
OF RESIDENTIAL BARGAINS.
IDENTICAL
BEIGES BLEND TOGETHER
IN
A MUDDY MIRAGE OF SAMENESS,
EXCEPT
WHERE VACANT LOTS REVEAL
HOUSEHOLDS THAT
NEVER EXISTED.
THIS
IS WHERE THE
DYSFUNCTIONAL
AMERICAN DREAM
HAS
MADE ME A
RELUCTANT
SUBURBANITE.
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