I wander around your heart
like I do the cobblestones of a foreign city.
See the facade,
the growing vines,
the remnants of life unseen
Knowing it’s not mine,
yet longing,
to stay
to see what lies beneath.
I take the long way around
through back alleys and side doors
idle outside windows
absentmindedly explore
and memorize the names
of every street corner.
I want to go deeper within
underneath it all,
see the shadows
and learn every inch
of the ancient brick walls.
The brownstones hold your history
stories tucked within
each disaster
and parade
the echoes of what’s been.
I meander the streets
slowly learning the way
and I wonder
after all this time
if I’ll be invited to stay.
By day, I am welcomed,
led around like a worthy guest
But as the moon sets low
and the city pace slows
the air hangs with questions
of what comes next.
Am I just caught in the grandeur
enchanted by all I have seen
mistaking the warmth of the streets
for a place I am meant to be?
Maybe I’ve mistaken
open doors
for a way into the heart
of a city that’s guarded
and closed after dark.
Perhaps I was only ever meant
to be a passerby
drawn to a place
with quiet charm
and streets that intertwine.
So I linger at the threshold
not quite outside,
but not fully within
caught somewhere between
the shadows and stairways
unsure what lies ahead
Still I’ve mapped the layout by heart
every dormer and loose stone
but knowing every road by name
has never made a city home.
