Twenty Five Dollars

by Damion Hamilton

Most of the time, my life is filled with
Boredom, and melancholia,

But I will tell you about a good time
I had
It didn’t seem like I had one of those
In a long time
Well the girls at the club was taking
It off, and shaking it and smiling
Why can't the girls on the street
Do this?

And I sat down low wit valium
And beer
And this cute lil country girl from
Kentucky sat down next to me
Smiling and smoking her Newports,
Just made it to town
“well how do u like East St. Louis,” I asked
“well the girls here, don’t know how to pole
Dance. I did that for years back in Kentucky.”

She’s only twenty one.
When her time came up to dance, she invites me
To her table, and gives me the best table
Dance. Moving with that young frenetic energy, showing me
It all, putting it my face, and riding me hard in front of everybody
But I don’t like to be the center of attention
though
“can we dance in private after your set?” I asked her.
“of course, I need money I’m staying at a hotel. Jus
Let me know when you're ready.”
Well, we go back there wit the manager and DJ, watching
Us
We go slow, we go fast and hard, and she tells me
with that sweet but clichéd Southern accent, that riding
Me, is like riding a mechanical bull. "I don’t have to do any of the
Work, and you’re paying twenty-five dollars.”
But I like it that way, and afterwards she sits down next to
Me, smiling and laughing with that accent
Whether she likes me, or was putting me on, I don’t know
But some of the boredom and sorrow which saturates me
Has been lifted, for a time

News Report

by Damion Hamilton

A young man was shot to death multiple times
While sitting in his car in 5000 block of wherever
A twenty year old rookie officer was killed in a shootout
With a sixteen year old

Crazed man shoots girlfriend’s boyfriend, inside
Night club
Man shot to death outside a strip bar
Teacher accused of having sex with an underaged boy
Woman flushes baby down toilet
Ballas to be sentenced in drug trafficking charges
Held by the DEA and FBI for over a year
Man robs bank at two in the afternoon
Cops indicted on stealing drug money, and planting
Evidence
Drunk police officer kills three in a car crash

Woman burns another woman with liquid Draino
In a street fight
Ten arrested in dog fighting ring in five states
One killed and two injured in fatal home invasion

Three killed in triple homicide at a stop light, no
Witnesses or suspects
Woman shot and killed in diner, by unknown man

Man shot to death at gas station, while pumping gas
Man thrown over the Popular Street Bridge into the Mississippi
River, and lives!
A decayed body found in the same river

Man wanted for giving woman a fatal dose of heroin

Three teens sentenced for raping and killing a woman

Teen kills man over cheeseburger, and rides away
On his bicycle

Ten arrested for child porn in FBI sting

Sixty year old man shoots and kills teen

Where Did The Money Go

by Damion Hamilton

Not too long ago
It seemed that a lot
Of people had some money
People were buying new cars
People were buying clothes,
And people were talking about
Going to the malls
People bought CD’s in the music
Stores,
People spent spent and spent
And I seemed to be the only one
Without money,
A few years later, now it seems
That everyone is like me
Riding around in old damaged cars
Wearing old clothes, not buying anything
Things are bad when they start closing down
The movie theatres, no more dollar shows
The times have changed
A few years ago there was a feast for a few
Now it seems all is famine
The colleges are offering fewer classes now
Millions are without jobs
Television and radio talk
About the recession
Where did all the money go?