To Feel Chicago
Jesus M.Trejo
To walk nostalgic sepian streets,
to run glorious magnificent miles
as snowflakes add to leafless branches
and the hiding sun gives breath to night
to let lights sprout from every degree.
Amongst strong winds from northern source,
atop the world on towering shields,
afloat the water from bluest lake,
above it all this town prevails.
I hear,Chicago,the whistling winds,
I see,Chicago,the soaring buildings,
I smell,Chicago,the Michigan waves.
To feed the ear with echoing jazz,
to treat the eye to visible spirit
as a traffic river flows from west to east
and smiling faces hallmark footsteps
like footsteps hallmark smiling shoes.
Across frozen shores on longest winters,
under the streets in tunnels as roots,
along the bridges above hardened river,
inside and out this town is felt.
I hear,Chicago,the cultured notes,
I see,Chicago,the scattered paint,
I smell,Chicago,the perfumed smiles.
To hear,to see,to smell,
to feel Chicago.
