By Hamish Todd

The town I grew up in
The town I got jobs
And found apartments
And took care of myself
Lays tonight in ruin
Victim to looters and hooligans
Looking to make the most
Of an ugly mood

By Timmy Woods

(a commentary on my position in today’s society)

Who am I?
To take this privileged perfection?
Created by the desires of the powerful
Handed to me by a melting pot
Passed off as "everybody"
Yet only for the chosen

By Jonathan Leslie

16 years old; just got my license,
Flashing lights behind me along with sirens.
Kid, you’re going 55 in a 25 that’s reckless driving,
Sorry, I gotta give you a ticket.
Didn’t ask me to get outta the car.
Call my lawyer neighbor up...
Don’t worry I’ll fix it.

By Peter Asco

It was a hot and dry 91 degrees Southern California afternoon
when I heard the rattling of dry leaves below my balcony
As my eyes searched the hedges beyond the patio fence
I got a glimpse of a bushy tail moving across the shrubs,
and suddenly, there it was, in a small brush clearing
the misunderstood, much feared and despised urban threat