Rouge,
Detroit











We were a city built on war
a city built on ashes
stone statues hacked to pieces
mixed in a river that overflowed
spat blood fire and ash
spat sand brick and stone
and the gods of industry took it as tribute
built railways boatyards a bridge
built Highland Park Cadillac Piquette
The Rouge
and the gods of industry genuflected
at the altar of the De-troit dollar
but war reclaims her own
and ashes return to ash
the spirits of the statues prevailed
rose up shattered
sand brick stone
rose up and shattered
sinew and bone
but the soul of the city still burns.
We are a city built on war
a city built on ash
crushed automobiles
rust in heaps
dreams lay dead and dying
violence in the streets
but in the end
we have nothing left to do
but rise.

(Image: Andrew Moore, The Rouge, Detroit Disassembled)