West Side Algebraic

waiting to be saved
from the flood waters rising
poor man he fell down

drowning in his own home
and his wife she couldn’t save him
nothing she could do

on the town’s west side
what used to be called brown town
and there’s some still do

it’s not for lack of
asking that there’s no work done
on the town’s west side

they done fixed beachside
they done fixed riverside too
don’t nobody see us

nother storm and we’re
gone under it don’t matter
nothing’s gonna change

on the town’s west side
what used to be called brown town
poor folk still drowning

Nina Heiser is a poet, writer and retired journalist currently living in central Florida and Western New York. Her work has appeared in Tuck Magazine; Cadence, the Florida State Poets Association Anthology; Vociferous Press anthology Screaming from the Silence; Embark Literary Journal; and Gargoyle Magazine. Her poetry and photographs have been featured in Pendemics Journal, and Of Poets & Poetry.