A week ago today the Capture Your 365 photo prompt was “Take a hike.” On my walk that day I photographed several woodsy hiking paths, pondering all the while what other ways I could interpret the prompt.
Then, walking through Portage Park, past a newly installed shelter and picnic tables (probably saw them for the first time a week prior), I noticed pink graffiti everywhere. Yuck. What a mess. Take hike indeed!
Graffiti in the park (Photo © 2017 by V. Nesdoly)
Take a Hike
Graffiti boy
on your bike
we don’t like
you using your spray can
as a mike.
Shoo, boy, shoo!
We’ve had enough of you.
Take a hike!
Stay out of our park
for your after-dark lark
we don’t want your mark—
of anti-us snark!
© 2017 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
Thankfully the city crew was on it quickly. When I went by a few days later, it was all cleaned up.
This poem is linked to Poetry Friday, hosted today by Matt Forrest Esenwine at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme. Thanks Matt (author of the just-out and already highly acclaimed Flashlight Night).
Violet Nesdoly / poems 
Matt Forrest Esenwine
September 8, 2017 at 6:24 am
That’s a shame…but glad you were able to find inspiration within the mess.
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cvarsalona
September 8, 2017 at 6:49 am
Violet, your response to the destructive act is quite appropriate – an important message.
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lindabaie
September 8, 2017 at 10:30 am
With angry words, you’ve smashed that lark. We all should respond with such a spark! So sorry for this, Violet. I used to live by a park, and it was often visited by those nightly sprays.I will never understand the pleasure and regret they don’t get pleasure in the daytime from that beautiful park.
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Violet Nesdoly
September 8, 2017 at 3:58 pm
No apology needed Linda – I love your addition and your feisty attitude (spark)!
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Kay McGriff (@kaymcgriff)
September 8, 2017 at 2:15 pm
It’s a shame that someone tried to destroy something good with graffiti, but I’m glad it inspired your response. I do not understand why someone gets pleasure out of destruction. There is so much more to enjoy with creation.
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Linda Mitchell
September 8, 2017 at 5:32 pm
I like the way you fight, Violet….good comeback for bad deeds. This kid needs to come back and do some scrubbing!
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Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting & Writing
September 8, 2017 at 6:29 pm
You tell’m Violet!
“we don’t want your mark—
of anti-us snark!”
I think your poem needs to be next to his/her graffiti somehow, or directed back to the graffiti artist. You’ve turned a negative act into a positive one, maybe if the taggers tagged with poems it wouldn’t be quite so offensive.
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Jane the Raincity Librarian
September 8, 2017 at 8:52 pm
I hate this kind of graffiti – it just feels so lazy and so mean-spirited. I have seen quite beautiful pieces of secretive street art, where creative artists leave surprises works of art throughout the city. But this kind of gang tagging is just mean. 😦
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haitiruth
September 9, 2017 at 8:10 am
Way to interpret the prompt! High FIVE! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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maryleehahn
September 9, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Nothing makes me more discouraged than vandalism. Why?!?!
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Brenda Davis Harsham
September 11, 2017 at 7:57 am
So many angry teens who don’t feel heard. They have to get it out somehow. It think it was a punk girl, showing off for her bad-boy-friend.
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Violet Nesdoly
September 11, 2017 at 9:48 am
Haha! I like that, Brenda. Maybe there is that message in the choice of pink!
>
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Brenda Davis Harsham
September 11, 2017 at 10:08 am
I always see stories in news articles. 🙂
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