Lower East Side

Just once before I dieI want to climb up on atenement skyto dream my lungs out tillI crythen scatter my ashes thruthe Lower East Side.the Lower East Side.

So let me sing my song tonightlet me feel out of sightand let all eyes be drywhen they scatter my ashes thruthe Lower East Side.

From Houston to 14th Streetfrom Second Avenue to the mighty Dfrom Second Avenue to the mighty Dhere the hustlers & suckers meetthe faggots & freaks will all gethighon the ashes that have been scatteredthru the Lower East Side.

There's no other place for me to bethere's no other place that I can seethere's no other place that I can seethere's no other town around thatbrings you up or keeps you downno food little heat sweeps byfancy cars & pimps' bars & juke saloons& greasy spoons make my spirits flywith my ashes scattered thru theLower East Side . . .Lower East Side . . .

A thief, a junkie I've beencommitted every known sinJews and Gentiles . . . Bums & Menof style . . . run away childpolice shooting wild . . .mother's futile wails . . . pushersmaking sales . . . dope wheelersmaking sales . . . dope wheelers& cocaine dealers . . . smoking potstreets are hot & feed off those who bleed to death . . .

all that's trueall that's trueall that is truebut this ain't no liewhen I ask that my ashes be scattered thruwhen I ask that my ashes be scattered thruthe Lower East Side.

So here I am, look at meI stand proud as you can seepleased to be from the Lower Easta street fighting mana problem of this landI am the Philosopher of the Criminal MindI am the Philosopher of the Criminal Minda dweller of prison timea cancer of Rockefeller's ghettocidethis concrete tomb is my hometo belong to survive you gotta be strongyou can't be shy less without requestsomeone will scatter your ashes thruthe Lower East Side.the Lower East Side.

I don't wanna be buried in Puerto RicoI don't wanna rest in Long Island CemeteryI wanna be near the stabbing shootinggambling fighting & unnatural dying& new birth cryingso please when I die . . .don't take me far awaydon't take me far awaykeep me near bytake my ashes and scatter them thru outthe Lower East Side . . .

Migel Piñero

Compositional

Economic Demographics of the Lower East Side<25k income 65k<85k income25k<45k income 85k<105K income45k<65k income Information from OaisisNYC Documentation

Empty Lots in the Lower East Side

Ethnic Demographics of the Lower East Side0.5<20% minorities 60%<80% income20<40% minorities 80%<100% income40%<60% minorities Information from OaisisNYC Documentation

Documentation

Noli Plan of the Lower East Side

Documentation

Parks in the Lower East Side

Public Buildings in the Lower East Side

Documentation

Subways in the Lower East Side

Documentation

Zoning of the Lower East Side