A Poem for Dreadlock Mike

By Michael Jackman

Jul 30, 2013 at 3:32 pm

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard - Inline - Content",
            "component": "35519556",
            "insertPoint": "5th",
            "startingPoint": "3",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "3",
            "maxInsertions": 100,
            
            "adList": [
              {
                "adPreset": "LeaderboardInline"
              }
            ]
          }
          
        ]

We were saddened to learn on Sunday of the death of Dreadlock Mike, one of those iconic street people who entertained crowds around Comerica Park. He and another street person, James Van Horn, widely known as the "Eat 'em up, Tigers!" guy (for his mantra cheering on our home team), were reportedly killed by a hit-and-run motorist in the wee hours of Saturday, July 27.

So we were surprised to arrive in the office on Monday morning and find a poem left on our keyboard, apparently hand-delivered to our office. In the margins of the verse was printed: "Metro Times, can you print this for Mike"? We present here this anonymous tribute to the man known as Dreadlock Mike.

"Dreadlock Mike" photographed by Bruce Giffin. Courtesy Bruce Giffin.

Social Vendor

We've seen you, Mike

Judges, priest, Pepsi

delivery men,

EMS, DTE.

Solid apparition

Solemn worn visage

Heavy roped dreadlocks

Moving between our

Civic world

Like an urban stream

of consciousness

Limbless in cold winter

Snow-covered and frozen

We gave donations

In pure conscience

A silver dime golden

A divine cup of soup.

Tags:

ICYMI Catch-All

About The Author

Michael Jackman

Born in 1969 at Mount Carmel hospital in Detroit, Jackman grew up just 100 yards from the Detroit city line in east Dearborn. Jackman has attended New York University, the School of Visual Arts, Northwestern University and Wayne State University, though he never got a degree. He has worked as a bar back, busboy,...