It is what the world should look like
Every color of person, a babel of languages
A dynamic of motion- cars, buses, bicycles whizz by
People walk, dogs with dog walkers
Children, old people, young people
Protestors and service workers
Limos with celebrities, strollers and joggers
Jugglers and street performers, drums and glitter
So many places to go, so many people going
History, so much history
The walk to Times Square, giant electronic billboards
The people taking selfies
The woman in the gutter, shuddering from cold
The awe on the faces of the Midwesterners
The focused movement of New Yorkers
The families- tired, happy, excited
Talking of plans of what to do next
MOMA with its wonderful modern art
Which includes blank canvases and shoes in a corner
The Met with its absolute grandeur
Central Park like an oasis in a steel desert
The towering buildings, the noisy streets
The food, glorious food- in trucks and in restaurants
Colorful performers headed to Broadway and strip clubs
The feeling that this is a city with a soul
The collective soul of all the souls moving around you
Soul music, soul food, soul spirits
The subways, the police cars, the horses and buggies, the noisy traffic
The crosswalks where people intersect
The folks are not friendly and warm
They actually seem suspicious and wary
But they are helpful and gritty and real
A guide told us 50% of folks here are under the poverty line
But they want to be here
They love this vibe, they know this history
This is their world, this is their reality
You can join if it pleases you
You will find your niche
In the wrenching, busy, wonderful city everyone fits in.
Anita Raturi 