I am a total nerd when it comes to English literature. Most people know that about me. Part of my said nerdiness is my love of poetry.

However, I also know that my literary and intellectual interests are not always shared by everyone else. I know people who absolutely can’t stand poetry because they find it difficult to understand. Others are less hostile, but simply haven’t read a lot of poetry either through lack of opportunity or lack of interest.

In some ways, Boyle Street and McCauley are like poetry. There are a lot of things to discover and explore, though at times this can take effort and an open mind. There is beauty to be found in its events, places, and people. And, there are complexities here in the community that at times can be challenging, but which make the area truly unique.

People who immediately write off this part of the city due to its social problems have missed the point, much like people who avoid poetry because it is “hard.” They are those who base their assumptions on stereotypes and the less than flattering portrayal of the inner city in other forms of media.

A single poem can have many different interpretations. Likewise, the experience of living and taking part in a community can be different for everyone. In my university days we could spend several classes discussing the meaning of a poem in my English courses.

Today, I enjoy hearing about people’s different experiences in McCauley and Boyle Street and am glad the paper is a forum to share these experiences: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful.