PARKDALE
by jamilah malika abu-jakare

how i love my neighborhood!

we are industrious and scavengers
we are outcasts, artists, madmen
we are poor with a few rich too
and we are more resourceful than you

when the parade or a show bring the city our way
we piece off our lawns for you to park (ten bucks flat rate)
and stock up on water and beer to sell to you that day

still when you visit, you turn up your nose at our
aging housing
murmuring alleys
graffiti'd scenery
and the fumbling, stumbling addicts
mumbling edicts
on the plight of gentrification

but we feel the breeze from the lake
and our liquor store is open very late
and we eat thai, vitenamese, jamaican, trini, guyanese, iranian -
any kinda food
and we got open mic night and all kindsa nightlife too

all i'm sayin is stop hatin
stop disrespecting my community
cos parkdale has more culture
than alla TO's bougie streets