From a distance we see

Only the beauty and the energy

A bustling world

Made entirely of lights

As we walk through towering heights

The sky disappears

Into a landscape of glass and concrete

And echoing pavement

There is a twisted ballet along the streets

Between the traffic and the sidewalks

A danse macabre of strangers

And the spaces they inhabit

Passersby talk to people

Only they can see

An animated argument

As the sea parts around them

Desperation drives addicts

Seeking a score

Filling a void

Only they can explain or see

Tents prove contrast with high rises

As a world awakens

From sleeping along the streets

A home without a home

While the commuters and the tourists

Walk through and walk past

Turning their eyes away

From sorrowful visions – Caroline A. Slee