valentine

i. sittin pretty
the boys are taking me ‘round the city
all i have to do is sit and look pretty
the city’s big and moves fast, really,
so the boys are taking me ‘round the city

the girls are taking me ‘round the town
all i have to do is look pretty and sit down
they take my hand, and they guide me around
into the stations, they don’t let me frown
the girls are taking me ‘round the town

the boys are taking me ‘round the city
all i have to do is sit and look pretty
through pouring rain that kills, truly
but the boys are taking me ‘round the city
and all i have to do is sit and look pretty

the girls are taking me ‘round the town
to see the 42nd street clowns
and in a sea of people we won’t drown
the girls are taking me ‘round the town
and all i have to do is look pretty and sit down

they’re all taking me ‘round New York City
and all i have to do is sit and look pretty
to say that it’s dull would be a tragedy,
and i really love sitting and looking pretty

ii. regina & bill & the lovin’ spoonful
summer in the city, she says, means cleavage
but mine is tucked away behind t-shirts
not out of modesty, but out of comfort
although some days i bring it out into the sun

summer in the city, she says, means lonely
but i’ve decided not to be lonely
i’ve got friends taking me ‘round town
and i’m getting lovers to fill my nights

summer night in Harlem, he says, is hot
but i barely notice the heat
sitting in cool restaurants, apartments, and train cars
and outside i ignore the beads of sweat rolling down my back

summer night in city, they say, is perfect for adventure in every corner of the city
and i’m light on my feet as i run
behind my friends as we go to and from
their favorite places

summer in the city, they all say, means
i sweat but
i’m not hot and
i’m not lonely and
i’m very hot and
i listen to what she says and put my cleavage on full display

iii. sound
send me new songs to hear
the summer is time for a new playlist

let’s exchange songs,
i love to know what you hear
the summer is time for a new playlist

i hear people singing on the platform
i hear people singing on the train
please tell me you got a recording
the summer is time for a new playlist

it doesn’t matter if the songs are bad
it doesn’t matter if the songs are good
all that matters is that you send them to me
the summer is time for a new playlist

i’ll write a song with you
send me songs you already wrote
i love the music that you make
the summer is time for a new playlist

iv. narcissus and echo
zina was in love with the summer breeze
he was the summer breeze and summer rain
zina fell in love with the summer breeze
and he was oblivious to her love

the summer breeze and summer rain
had no physical form
and could not feel anything
that didn’t stop zina from falling in love

she likened herself to echo
and the breeze and rain to narcissus,
neither were such
but zina’s imagination grew

she spun a tale where narcissus looked up
up from the stream where he stared
and she never had to give up her own words

she spun a tale where narcissus loved echo back
where the breeze and rain held her close
the whole summer long
and neither one drowned

v. wish
New York golden boys
you know the type:
tall, handsome, chiseled face

they take the stage before their time
and they leave before it’s time to go

the summer is under their mercy
their thumb
their strong king-like hand

they know the minds of the people in the city
and with one point of a finger
they can change it all on their own

god, i would love to be
a New York golden boy

vi. time, the brute
night and day are lovers
yes, i’ve said it before,
but night and day in the summer—
in the city—
is a love like no other

night and day are together
only at dusk and dawn
time keeps them apart,
the brute,
but they manage to feel each other,
hold each other

their embraces are the prettiest times of light
on any given day
the warmth of the sun rising and setting
is a wave to the night time,
kissing her goodbye and hello

night and day will be together one day
of that i’m sure
their love transcends time—
the brute—

they’ll meet in this life or another
or else love is dead

vii. losers weepers
it’s your birthday but you’re gone
how do you feel gone?
how do you feel now that you’ve left?

it’s your birthday but you’ve rejected it
you just are without age
you are without acknowledgement

it’s your birthday but now it’s not
someone else i know has it now
finders keepers
but i guess you don’t care that you’re the loser
so you won’t weep

it’s your birthday and you’re not dead
you’re just away from us
away from me

i guess you’re happy

viii.
the best part of summer in the city is that it’s
my
birthday
it’s my time
i can be a New York golden boy
i can sweat and run and explore
i can sing and play and record
i can fall in love like zina and night
and find someone like the summer breeze and the summer rain and day
i can be a hopeless romantic
i can be a hopeful romantic
i can be bitter
i can be happy
it’s my birthday
and i can do what she says and put my cleavage on full display