If you’ve never slid down the GIANT SLIDE on a potato sack

you may not know my Detroit.

If you’ve never eaten a Coney at 3 a.m. you may not understand why it doesn't matter

how many games we win or lose

we wear our D HATS and tats year round.

Our streets were built to the rhythm of a

hand clap sound

I am a Detroit Lion on Linwood, a rebellious Tiger on Tireman

a Stanley Cup carrying Red Wing on Rutherford.

a Detroit Piston constantly putting up new nets around forgotten

white backboards and orange squares.

Rebellious cities never had it easy.

Innovative freeways aren't always paved in gold

Still, that thin strip of M-8 we call The Davison became a conduit to every future highway in our nation

and so is the assembly line steel & wheels of our cars.

Detroiters always kept this country moving.

Revolutionary people don't always get good press but it is in our DNA/it is our bloodline gift

to survive.

When the surface of your skin has potholes blasting Temptations’ records through

your pores

When your fingertips are blessed

by international water and you are now under the world's media microscope

constantly checking your arms for track marks and close ups

of how you might look once the

high was gone.

You are simply one city/built above crystals You are the river of freedom

You are the tenacity of Malcolm

The truth of Sojourner.

We are the fish fry at grannies The Swim-Mobile

The Brightmoor Soccer Team/Dynamo's Deli on Plymouth/The Boggs Center

The Aker School For Gifted Children

The old school sweet of Dutch Girl Donuts

The west side Sweet Potato Sensation cakes across the street

from the mural covered beauty

we call Artist Village.

We exist in the brilliance of our young debaters, our champion athletes, our self empowered rockers, our young farmers & dancers and scientists and Future social activists.

We are 5 E Gallery and Arise Detroit and

Black WOMEN Rock! We are N’namdi Gallery and

The Charles H. Wright and Goodwells and the opposite of white flight

Our babies are Ice Dreamers

Young souls on ice

Detroit hockey players up early

at Butzel on Wyoming and Lyndon.