Her love of the Hood

 grew painstakingly as her mother

begged and pleaded for her

 to stay home during the

day

What pain she felt

 to try and honor a mother

to retain the status that is

socially full of grace and correctness

a status

that includes class

 only if the hood is designer

A different pain leaves her

 at night

Mother knows

 Mommy knows this

At night

 mother’s pain painstankingly overcomes her

as she must fight disgrace

 to see her from the fourth floor brownstone window

An incorrect passerby beckons

 her child as they both look

up

to see her piercing through the clouds

From above

 she wishes and prays that her child

is not reverting back to where she derived

Mommy always did crave

 the Upper East Side