City Lights

Here in these deep city lights
Girl could get lost tonight

— “City” (Sara Bareilles)

New York is my place. The place where my wild heart roams. Ever since I watched The City fade away in the rear-view mirror almost nine years ago, I’ve yearned to go back, indulge myself in her bright city lights the way I used to. Back when New York was good and safe and clean. That’s the way I will always remember her. I don’t think of her often. Oh, who am I kidding, I think of her All. The. Time.

City Lights

From the moment
She set foot in The City
Some twenty-two years ago
Her spirit embraced
The mesmerizing energy
And sheer awesomeness of it
The millions
Of bright twinkling lights
And flashing billboards
The mishmash aroma
Of boiled hot dogs
Roasted chestnuts
And freshly brewed joe
The clattering screech
And insistent squeal
Of rows and rows
Of mustard-yellow sedans
All vying for her upheld hand
Just the thought of leaving
This pulsating center of the world
Brought tears to her eyes
And set fire to her soul
I’ll be back one day, she whispered
And she knew without a doubt
The beauty
Of this undeniable truth

*Photo by James Ting on Unsplash.