Cold Detroit in October

Cracked Freeway Detroit how it ached my head,
Surrounded by Commercials and cold morning air,
There was no real choice unless you super sized it.

37 Year woman behind the counter soul on her sleeve,
None of mowtown's money stayed in Detroit,
Only the sad inspiration still chills the air,
Three dollars and fifty two cents change no heart
Left to smile all the energy lifting the dimes and pennies.

Hospital as we pass the old brick houses designed for
Ford Motor Corporation employees; street construction,
Loud bass pumpin' jams from a cheap cadillac,

Walked into an arabic restaurant old muslim woman white
Head band rolling flour.

Smokey's "Tears of a Clown" running down people's eyes
In line's at White Castle Burger at night or
Krispy Kreme Donuts in Dearborn...

Smokey Blue Collar Polish Softball Team at the pizzeria,
A Salad Cheese the salad a garnish with a black olive or two,

October's leaves dusty and the air reeks of oil,
Nostalgic Autumn some other American's dream not here,

Michael continues to cry "baby give me one more chance"
Diana still tells me "someday we'll be together" and
Stevie still "just calls to say he loves us"

My pretentious heart may have drowned in San Francisco,
And perhaps I'll one day be a part of New York,
I found my soul in the streets of Detroit, October 1999.

Goodbye 30 degrees Fahrenheit at seven am,
Hot coffee running down my soul to Marvin
Gaye's "Sexual Healing."

"Mang."