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Meet Yolanda Wisher, Philly's new poet laureate: '5 South 43rd Street, Floor 2'

On Friday, Mayor Kenney announced that Yolanda Wisher, 39, has been named Philadelphia's poet laureate for 2016-17. She is a community activist, a teacher, and a poet deeply aware of her city and its rhythms. As an introduction to her work, here's a Phill

Yolanda Wisher speaks at City Hall after Mayor Kenney introduced the Germantown poet, teacher, and
community activist as Philadelphia’s third poet laureate on Friday
Yolanda Wisher speaks at City Hall after Mayor Kenney introduced the Germantown poet, teacher, and community activist as Philadelphia’s third poet laureate on FridayRead moreCURT HUDSON

On Friday, Mayor Kenney announced that Yolanda Wisher, 39, has been named Philadelphia's poet laureate for 2016-17. She is a community activist, a teacher, and a poet deeply aware of her city and its rhythms. As an introduction to her work, here's a Phillycentric poem titled "5 South 43rd Street, Floor 2." It's vivid, vibrant, of the streets - and yet also written in mature, 21st-century, good old iambic pentameter. Here is a poet who is a Philadelphian who is a poet. - John Timpane

Sometimes we would get hungry for the neighborhood.

Walk up the sidewalk towards Chestnut Street.

Speak to the Rev holding the light-skinned baby,

ask his son to come put a new inner tube on my bike.

Risqué Video, Dino's Pizza, and the Emerald Laundromat.

The fruit trucks tucked into 44th Street on the left,

house eyes shut with boards, fringes of children.

Once we went into a store sunk into the street,

owned by a Cambodian woman. She sold everything,

from evening gowns to soup. Over to Walnut and 45th,

where the Muslim cat sells this chicken wrapped in pita,

draped in cucumber sauce. The pregnant woman

behind the counter writes our order out in Arabic.

We grab a juice from the freezer, some chips,

eye the bean and sweet potato pies.

Back into the hot breath of West Philly, sun is setting.

The sky is smeared squash, tangerines in a glaze.

Three girls and one boy jump doubledutch. A white man

hustles from the video store with a black plastic bag.

We look for money in the street, steal flowers

from the church lawn. The s--- stain from the wino

is still on our step. Mr. Jim is washing a car for cash.

John is cleaning his rims to Buju Banton.

Noel is talking sweetly to the big blue-eyed woman.

Linda, on her way to the restaurant. The sister

in the wheelchair buzzes by with her headphones on.

One night, a man was shot and killed on this block,

right outside our thick wood door. But not today.

Today is one of those days to come home from walking

in the world, leave the windows open, start a pot of

black beans. Smoke some Alice Coltrane. Cut up

some fruit, toenails. Hold on to the moment

as if time is taking your blood pressure.

From "Monk Eats an Afro" (Hanging Loose Press). Copyright © 2014 by Yolanda Wisher. By permission of the author.