View Towers

Okay now
I'm not saying this to make people feel bad or console me
I'm just trying to express my reality as I see it
Come look at it with me

View Towers
The dirty, disgusting building
That I'm living in
Though they cleaned it up and improved it a bit
It will always have this dark, twisted aura to it

There was a time in decades past
When there was suicides there every week
Now it's not that bad, but still the vibes remain
It's cheaper than a lot of places in this expensive city
So it attracts a lot of losers

Looking at this building from the outside I come home
And it looks disgusting
A filthy rats nest in ragged brush

I'm not saying if you don't make much money you are a loser necessarily
However it is one measure of success in making a certain amount
And if you are capable physically of working
As an adult and you're on welfare
You're a loser

The random neighbours screaming stupid s**t
"Go back to Duncan with your AIDS, s**t!"
The domestic violence
The screams to "call the police"
It wears on you

The building is so f*****g hot
Good thing I bought an air conditioner
But when I sleep with it on my throat gets sore
So I guess it'll be sore, but I'm trying to become a singer

Someone keeps feeding the garbage birds they fly on balconies
Now we have a situation with pigeons
And other disease carriers
I'm paranoid to have the balcony door open
Because I don't want them flying inside
Those birds make my skin crawl

There is security at night
It probably helps things
But I kind of hate that it has to be that way
I don't like mommy and daddy looking after me

And all the angry people waiting
"Man this elevator takes forever"
I don't want to be around that negative s**t

During the weekdays there is constant construction noise
And then that just drowns out the screeches and motors
In the busy street right next door

This building has changed me in negative ways
I guess it motivates me to move from here
Improve my life
And I guess I will go live somewhere rent is a bit more a month
It seems much worth it
To leave the place to affectionately referred to as "Crack Towers"

Reviews

[Ravyne Hawke]

I can relate to living in a crummy place like this "Crack Tower". I lived in some horrible locations with bad neighbors in the late 80s and felt like a queen when I landed this one apartment in a house with quiet neighbors and a great neighborhood. The rent was really high though. But you are right, living in those places made me want to work harder to get out of them and into a better location. Great write, Luke!

[Luke L]

Thank you very much, where were you living?

[Ravyne Hawke]

In a mid-sized town in Virginia USA.. It was becoming a ghost town almost.. all the jobs were going away.. nothing for the kids to do but get high and vandalize.

[Luke L]

hmm sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live in places like that or say... Detroit where the housing prices are so low! I wonder if it would be worth it...

[Ravyne Hawke]

Poverty and crime go hand in hand, Luke.. I am now in Tulsa Oklahoma and live in the older part of the city. While we have very little crime in my neighborhood and everyone gets along, housing is low and utilities aren't so bad, there is still crime here, but not as bad as the richer parts of Tulsa.

[Luke L]

hmm okay, that's just amazing to me to see some of the housing prices in some American cities compared to Canadian cities...

[Ravyne Hawke]

We pay $400 a month for a 2 bedroom house. If I were to go just a few blocks down the road, that would be a bit closer to downtown, the rent would jump to $600 a month or more.

[Luke L]

where I live it's $800 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment! I couldn't even think about what a 2 bedroom house would rent for... What is the minimum wage there?

[Ravyne Hawke]

it is 7.25 an hour, which is probably why housing rent is so low..

[poetdoug]

Luke, I like the way you 'shoot from the hip" in your writing. You always tell it like it is and let the chips fall where they may so to speak. I think that makes you a colorful writer. You have described the "Crack Towers" to a T. It's like you let us inside your thought process to hear just what you are thinking---
and then you are able to put it cleverly down on paper.
"To leave the place to affectionately referred to as "Crack Towers". Nice job my friend.

[Luke L]

thanks man, I mean sometimes I write fiction as well (though this is real), but hopefully that has realism to it as well.

[poetdoug]

YOU ARE RIGHT, both require forms of fantasy integrated with reality, that's for sure!

[SuzieQ]

I really like this Luke and it lets me in to know more about your world. I don't like to be surrounded by negative people either so I can undestand wanting to get out. Great writing! I'm impressed as always!

[Luke L]

thank you very much, Susan :)

[Rafia ~ Yellow Girl]

Interesting, pretty interesting...
You write verses instead of diary to save your thoughts?

[Luke L]

at times, I write poetry in a very free form

[Rafia ~ Yellow Girl]

thats the best part of it!

[Luke L]

thank you :) Write now I am writing a piece about a sexual experience I recently had, f**k it is hard to focus on it!