“The Man and His City”

he grew up in this city’s dirt
flying paper aeroplanes into ceiling sky
holding to his mother’s skirt
frightened of the shopping windows
where the frozen mannequins
stared with deadly eyes

he became a man in this city
where behind wrought iron gates
lived a girl with freckles
who stole his willing heart as
it matched her polka dot red dress
they kissed in the clouds of cigarettes
and matched their footsteps blending in with crowds

he grew old in this city
where the street lamps marked his route

and the townhall clock marked his life
unrecognized passer-by
staring in and staring out
old man who fed the pigeons
and loved his city like his wife