River Brown

Inspired by Tupac’s poem, The Rose That Grew from Concrete

– by River Brown

I’ve got a lot of broken concrete

repurposed into garden walls and a terrace.

Breaking up concrete is nasty business

but, if all roses need is a crack

            a break —

            Yeah, all roses need is a crack —

Then let’s bust up some more…wait.

No, no. Not that.

Ego can’t crack concrete.

In fact, all the impermeable chemically molded aggregate

rock cement set in street and sidewalk parking lot is oppression

laid down for years — that just isn’t the point.

Ego can’t crack ego.

Domination never expected it.

It’s not like rock, paper, scissors, folks

Life love being stronger, more, miraculous

Rose forces getting through

means there’s something

bigger and better going on.

Let the dream surface

Gulp some air, open up.

Keeping dreams grows roses.

Keep breathing.

Dream.