some more thoughts

[seaivy]

commercial history is strange
especially in this "city"
where i now live

it's been around a long time
there are vestiges
of its former lives
old courthouse still there
red brick victorian buildings

but the 20th century
kept shuffling its cards
it out grew downtown

evidence of growth
the old hospital building
now a major medical complex
the University like ivy
spreading everywhere

commercial pushed to the east
buildings built then refurbished
a mall came and went
the land now vacant

but the county "Cultural Center"
two high schools apartment complexes
some smaller malls still vibrant

the 4 lane highway came
to link the city with
growing recreational shore
vacation mecca
commerce pushed further east

But Then Doom
a new a bigger Mall
to the North!
that road expanded greatly
linking to the neighboring state

Commerce galloped North
leaving the east behind
what was farm land is now
covered with big block
and small malls
it's where it's at!

but that "new mall" lost
its four of its five
large anchor stores
yes the movies expanded
yes chain restaurants

but the pandemic was not kind
there are empty stores
like missing teeth
both in the mall
and in the complexes

this was going somewhere else
but enough
maybe the other story
at a different time