The lights of the city shine brighter than any star.

a cool breeze cuts through the humid night air.

the sidewalk is cracked by too many steps in everyone’s one-thousand-mile journey.

Brick and concrete towers fly high into the sky, close enough to reach the stars.

And each tower has a hundred stories

In one there is a man nervously waiting for his date to show up

A few over an elderly couple slow dance to their favorite songs

And two down a six-year-old girl dreams of far off clouds

Smooth jazz floats from a far off alley that smells of Chinese food

People cheer in bars for their favorite sport

Workers come out of restaurants, each tired but ready to start their night

Cars crowd the street, every one has an equally important and equally unimportant goal

Neon signs wish to be your stars, so they shine bright enough to block the others

Young girls pull young boys into stores they would rather stay out of

While other boys look walk through, looking for streetlight love

A couple fights over nothing outside apartments.

Business men push through the crowds, wishing they could be free

While a homeless man watches from a corner, wishing he had responsibility

Billboards sell you things you don’t care about

While salesmen make you care

The sound of far off boats signaling their arrival, hums from a close by river

Suspension bridges hold up the lives of so many who don’t care

And so many who wish they did

The moon reflects off the river, engulfed by the stars of the city, and the stars of the sky

The cool breeze grows fait and far off

And then the mist rolls in, calming and new.

The railing is cold to the touch, but sturdy enough

Beads of mist make it hard to climb

But the city in the river helps motivate

The city full of life

The city full of many

That won’t miss one