Union Square

as he got older as his years
got larger     a city larger within him

got fewer it got then a larger
city     then with skyscrapers
a basement     he got tall and fat
a basement     that reached to his voice

who is that old man
with a spine like a skyscraper
who complains about a gutache
or ulcers     or a spastic colon?
who is he?     why don’t i
want to look at him
when i look     in the mirror?

i need to go to new york city
where the pulse runs like
it did when i was young

i need to see     and how i haven’t
where there are so many
that are surprise     with their noise
that are both familiar and unfamiliar to me
the voice     of the city     i hear     at night
when all else is quiet     a sort of
unified hum     welcome me back
who i once was     to the air

from Yew Nork (2014)