Favorite Poems --> "123rd Street Rap" by Willie Perdomo

"123rd Street Rap" can be found on page 995 of the Norton.

This poem initially caught my eye because of its structure. It is composed of eighteen double-line stanzas. Each stanza is more of a phrase than a sentence, which shows Perdomo's careful diction. He describes the bullets as "automatic", which shows that violence is the only answer to life's problems on 123rd street. The repitition of the word "for" on lines 10 and 11 make the reader feel like a "drunken mourner". This syntax draws the reader in and makes them feel more connected to the poem. Further down on line 12, the "baby men" conveys that children grow up fast in this crime-infested neighborhood. The use of improper grammar in lines 15, 17, and 19 give the poem a slangy feel. It is as if the poem should be spoken or rapped rather than read. After reading this out loud, I found that the words have rhythm and flow nicely with one another. The later mention of night and day right before right and wrong gives the reader a mental image. The only thing known for sure on 123rd street is "day turns to night." It is hard to tell "what's wrong from what's right". In this poem, Permodo not only tells about the setting, but he also reveals a lot about himself.