My Hometown Poem

By Ray Hansell

Jersey City is where I was born I woke up to see many a dawns It’s not a bad city, it was a place to live But there were many times it didn’t forgive The streets were tough, the winter’s cold It’s a city you can embrace, but one you can never hold The streets will own and rule you There’s not too much one can do After some years you’ll be ready to leave It will no longer have the things you need That’s when you know the time has come Because you and the city are no longer one Now people grow up there and decide to stay But so many many more just go a different way