This post is a small collection of “text only” graffiti that I have seen over the past few months. They come from no particular place in the city. The authors, except one, are anonymous. Some are silly, others are poignant. Not all of them make sense. No matter what the sentiment, someone took the time and (very little?) effort to make their thoughts known.
below: “Wake up and smell the corruption!”
below: “I love her tho” along with “We’re probably gonna break up in 3 days”. Ah, life.
below: “Was I ever not crazy”, maybe a rhetorical question?
below: “In your pants” is not a good place to P.
below: “Sorcery not science runs your world.” I’m curious as to whether the writer is expressing their opinion as in “I think sorcery…” or if they are expressing a complaint as in “You think sorcery…”.
Someone’s reply is: “I am interested in your thoughts on how sorcery interacts with the urban planning process”
Which leads to: “Exhibit A: the streets of Washington D.C”
Totally makes sense, right? LOL
below: “I’m nosey because I care.” and “If only you could know me but maybe we’re meant 2 be lonely.” All around a bright red symbol for female, or in Egyptian hieroglyphs, an ankh, the symbol for life.
below: “If you read this, God bless you my friend”
below: “How many times I’ve to tell you God loves you, so smile.”
below: “free the white girls Let them eat cake”
below: Conversation (monologue?) on a vent goes something like this:
“U know when it feels exactly like drowning?
Yeah I do
I almost did almost drowning
[purple] was interesting and fun
I Don’t Recommend
will not try again”
below: “Anti-graffiti graffiti crew”
below: “Stay true to yourself and you will attract the greatest things the world has to offer”
below: A poem on a pole. Although it mentions Gaza, it would also apply to Kiev, or Kharkiv, or a little farther back in time, Aleppo.
If I Must Die
by Refaat Alareer
If I must die,
you must live,
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth and some strings.
(make it white with a long tail)
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza
while looking
heaven in the eye
awaiting his dad
who left in a blaze
and bid no one farewell
not even to his flesh
not even to himself –
sees the kite, my kite you made,
flying up
above
and thinks for a moment
an angel is there
bringing back love
If I must die
let it bring hope
let it be a tale
***
Previous posts with many words:
paper words in the alley (2019)
positive words are never wrong! (2018) and
protests. advertisements. words (2021)
as I walk Toronto 