THE GREAT WALL OF GRAFFITI

THE GREAT WALL OF GRAFFITI
Dedicated to Gajin Fujita

Roger A. Davis


It was made to keep out the boredom raider
Psychedelic swirls and boxcar murals
Underpass, overpass, crews do cater
Nothing to undrape, the morning light unfurls

From spray can man to caveman
Scenes and symbols telling stories
Very old to present it does span
The art of graffiti it employs

Inner city Rembrandts versus childish jokes
Artistic endeavors became the lever
For some to apply professional strokes
Yet their neighborhood ties, it would not sever

A canvas and cast, vast and varied in array
Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic and African American
Applying their talents to adorn and spray
Water tower, tank car, dumpster and trash can

Ancient Egypt had its hieroglyphics displayed
Tibetan monks flew prayer flags, the wind swayed
Avenues to express culture and spiritual ways
By multicolored stained glass windows and paint sprays

Paul Gauguin painted beauty in Tahiti
French post impressionist upon the Polynesian Sea
Gajin Fujita, artist of the Japanese/Barrio graffiti
His originality seen in L.A., Santa Fe and Kansas City

More anonymous works than known appear
Across our continent do stretch
From "WASH ME" to "KILROY WAS HERE"
So enjoy the Great Wall or at least an Etch-A-Sketch