A lot of houses don't even have anyone to board them up. (poetry)

It is a town of haves and havenots.
many blocks semi-abandoned,
well maintained lawns wrapping around houses without people.

The local strip malls
created to take the place of downtown,
include bright neon signs next to
cardboard For Lease notices.

Businesses, friends and neighbors leave town without a word,
leaving behind
rows of vacant windows, some broken.
Their departures apparently too sudden to include plywood.

• The American dream
• Middle America
• bankruptcy