John G. Rodwan, Jr. What Makes Detroit Detroit.

Having lived the first twenty-three years of my life in Detroit, this poem definitely got my full attention. With all of the negativity prevalent concerning my birthplace, I was initially worried about what the poem might put forth. Happily, it appears quite accurate to me in terms of what I’ve also seen of Detroit. The first stanza represents the views that others may carry concerning the perceived character of Detroit. The second stanza attempts to represent the gritty reality of what actually exists within our hearts–we citizens of a city living with our own expectations and desires (outside of whatever anyone else might think of us). I was not only impressed with this piece in terms of its artistic merit, but also with the emotion that it stirs up within my soul.