Edgewood Retail District: Big Box, Bright Lights

Lyrics

Look at it. Just… look at it.
A universe of asphalt.
A kingdom of the cart.

I remember when the dust settled.
Two thousand and five.
The air smelled like hot tar and fresh paint.
They bulldozed the patchwork, whatever it was.
And raised these monuments.
Smooth, beige, and perfect.
No ghost signs on these walls. Just logos.
Bright, beautiful logos.

The big red circle calls my name.
The blue sign promises a better home.
The yellow tag is a shot of dopamine.
Target. Lowe's. Best Buy.
The new trinity, glowing in the Georgia night.
This is my town square.
This is my cathedral.

Saturday morning, pull the Forester in.
Row G, section twelve.
The automatic doors whisper open.
Air conditioning hits you like a revelation.
I got a list.
Dog food, light bulbs, a new video game, a potted fern.
One trip. One stop.
No need to wander down some cracked sidewalk looking for what isn't there anymore.

The big red circle calls my name.
The blue sign promises a better home.
The yellow tag is a shot of dopamine.
Target. Lowe's. Best Buy.
The new trinity, glowing in the Georgia night.
This is my town square.
This is my cathedral.

I hear the talk. About "character."
About what this all erased.
But my character is efficiency.
My history is the receipt in my pocket.
They say it's not the real Edgewood.
I say, this is the Edgewood that works.
The one that delivers.

The sun goes down.
But the lights stay on.
That red bullseye, a constant star.
That blue promise, a beacon.
Everything I need.
Right here.
Always.