An homage to New York City in Winter.With everything going on, with lives being lost, and doctors and nurses working non-stop, I pray for New York and its sons and daughters. We will rise above thisdisaster, stronger.Stay Strong, NYC.
How do I capture melted marshmallows in porcelain mugs,
snow crunching under off-brand hiking boots,
rows of birch trees draped in white velvet ribbons,
open fields where we chase flocks of angry geese?
How do I show you the sun’s coquettish peeks through gray clouds,
skyscraper lights paving paths across twilit nights,
frozen lakes reflecting amber skies,
the pale glow of street lights the night before the first snowfall?
How do I bottle the smell of honey-roasted nuts and melting sugar,
the exhaust fumes from gypsy cabs barreling down 5th avenue,
the whiffs of melted cheese and fresh oregano from pizza parlors,
the stench of creosote escaping through grates from the subway below?
How do I trap the taste of golden-crusted empanadas stuffed with meat and potatoes,
the thick broth of a sancocho de pollo that alleviates bad hangovers,
flecks of crumbs left behind from a pressed Cuban sandwich,
melted strings of cheese dipped inside a hot chocolate?
flecks of crumbs left behind from a pressed Cuban sandwich,
melted strings of cheese dipped inside a hot chocolate?
How do I crystallize midnight diner runs,
morning runs through the park,
runny noses after shoveling neighbors’ driveways,
runny noses after shoveling neighbors’ driveways,
running late to Winter session classes,
running away from everything that I knew
How do I take my winters with me?
How can I take my city with me?
The city was never mine to claim,
but I’ll always her her winters.
Soul on Fire 