Basket Case

Slightly edited from the original.

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This is the dirt and graffiti.
This is the pavement and metal.
These are the bright lights and cigarettes.
I find the city in the lining
of my pockets, in the swinging
of my arms and in the beating-
the beat beat beating-
of my skyscraper heart.

This is the smoke and fire.
This is the color and coffee.
These are the dreams and heartbreaks.
The way you chew your gum
and tell me things I rarely hear
makes me wonder where I should go
when you can't sing loud enough
for me to hear.

This is the picture frame moment.
This is the metal beam that is
wrapped around my heart.
These are the crowds and souvenirs
that I take with me
like sand in my shoes
whenever I leave.