Crime Report

So many assualts
burglaries
stolen cars
and narcotics busts
in 89109
every week
I get the neighborhood paper
with such light topics
as the haunted locations of Las Vegas
or Halloween cookie recipes
but on page 2
in every issue
resides the crime report
a street map
littered with stars
squares
and triangles
all representing
a variety of reported illegal activity
by looking at the overwhelming smattering
of symbols
one might think I live in a dangerous area
yet people walk the streets
around here at all hours
the prostitutes
crack fiends
junkies
pimps
theives
and bad asses
cops sit next to patrol cars
in front of a 7-11
with siren lights on
a neon garage sale
or maybe a cue to conduct business
but be discreet
cause even with the addition
of a police division
down the way from my place
near the Hilton Hotel
not much has changed
besides the demolition of a few apartment complexes
no problem
people just move down the avenue
tons of empty apartments around here
some just boarded windows
no doors
people squat
does not cost a thing
others refuse to pay rent
why should they
the accomodations look bombed out
no power
window shades
pad locks on the front entrance
yet next week
there will be another map of the 89109
with the same exceedingly high amount
of crime traffic
as the local labor force
dodges all those stars
triangles
and squares in an attempt
to do it all over again the next night