Running Watts

 
Green and grey blurs are all I see
I watch the concrete and trees slide right past me
I start off strong, explosive as can be
That’s one mistake I’ll pay on the daily
my lungs and legs start to feel heavy
Can I continue? I don’t know, maybe.
10, 20, 30 minutes fly by.
Practice is nowhere near an end
Why can’t I just say goodbye?
It’s the scenery of Watts that keeps me going.
Mural here, mural there
all kinds of graffiti on the walls
The art amongst the streets of Watts
The mesmerizing sight of the Watts Towers
what beauty I see when running
From a distance I hear “con animo”
it’s the community cheering us on.
Who said running in Watts means danger?
The streets may not be the cleanest
but there’s always something out in Watts
That makes running the greatest part of my day.
It’s the folks I hear laughing across the streets
the breeze I feel as I cross the 103rd station.
You hear of people running in Watts out of danger.
Me? Nah I run Watts; I run Watts for the love of running.

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(Featured image from Pexels)