As we emerge from the fog of winter and daylight savings graces and nourishes us with more sunlight in the evenings, we present a charming poem for our next poetry series called "After Work" by Richard Jones.
This poem reminds us of our earlier days working as young professionals in the fast-moving, hustle and bustle of New York City. We do miss the daily hustle of the subway commute. Mine originated at 72nd Street, taking the 1/9 and 2/3 Express from the Upper West Side and terminating at Wall Street. A young professional's life was exciting and exhausting at the same time. For all the glamorous travel was often preceded by all-nighters filled with toil.
The poem describes the sights and sounds of the New York City subway system with apt detail. The imagery conjures experiences that bring us back, at once, to those days riding the NYC subway system and coming home and greeting your child after a long day at work is expressed beautifully through this poem.
For your reading enjoyment, we hereby present "After Work" by Richard Jones.
"After Work" by Richard Jones
Coming up from the subway
into the cool Manhattan evening,
I feel rough hands on my heart –
women in the market yelling
over rows of tomatoes and peppers,
old men sitting on a stoop playing cards,
cabbies cursing each other with fists
while the music of church bells
sails over the street,
and the father, angry and tired
after working all day,
embracing his little girl,
kissing her,
mi vida, mi corazon,
brushing the hair out of her eyes
so she can see.
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