New York's Dilemma

Out on the streets of New York, The first appearance of morning, A preliminary warning That a new day has begun While my expectations rise high As numbers filter through my mind, Avenues and streets become a network When studios and skyscrapers somehow Coincide to take me anywhere When my heart desires... Weary faces passing through The cross-road of the world, Holding frozen thoughts and muted words, In the very heart of Times Square, Some looking happy or tired, These faces are clear signs And must be read quickly To learn their story hidden behind Or absolve their tiredness or vitality... I hold my head down So as not to give myself away, Relieved to be among strangers Who do not understand-so readily, The natural disturbance Of my presence-or the glance That permits no admittance... Practical concerns I put off for a while For this is the right place Though I have arrived a bit late To capture the original chance To be myself at a glance... Here-is no more crowded Than anywhere else When the greatest pressure Is a throng of questions That elbow me alone in a room, Watching my every move As anyone I ever knew Was constantly demanding: 'What do you do? '... Here I am, always rushing and late And always in the same place, Frozen in time and space, Boundaries I can no longer delineate When I am daily struggling with my fate... This is the dilemma of New York, Honestly expressed my dear folks, The reality everyday I must face... ©All Rights Reserved-2011