New York City Poem

Once in a while, I get inspired and write poetry. This poem was from June 18, 2009, after I'd lived in NYC for 7 1/2 months.


I sing a song of New York City,
fashion world of people pretty--
low & high you see them come
to their places in the sun.

World of random, petty faces,
all are scattered in their places,
moving, churning, grieving, dying,
all their dreams to Him denying.

Lovers of the Great White Way,
broad & happy, sparkling, gay*,
flashy--all the people cry,
"For my heart I'd happily die!"

But narrow the path that leads to life
and Jesus has a distracted wife.
She longs for freedoms ne'er fulfilled
in the flashing lights that are never stilled.

Like moths to flame the masses come
and trade their hearts for a kingdom come
to earth, or so it seems to all
who hear and answer the island's call.

The veil is thick here, smoke & mirrors
deafen all the would-be hearers.
Many paths seems heaven-bound
but only one King wears the crown.

Oh my city! Bleeding, dying,
never hearing your own crying,
crying for a Saviour** bigger
than the world between the rivers.

Lay your self-made burdens down,
trade your ashes for a crown,
find life so real it must be true,
spread wings you thought you'd never use.


Oh, clamoring city that never sleeps,
come meet the Prince of lasting Peace.



*While there are a lot of homosexuals in theater, here I meant "gay" like 1940's style happy.
**The spelling is because our church in NYC, Our Saviour Lutheran in Queens, used the old spelling.