Neighbors

I built a city.
I put it between the seaside and a mountain--
tucked it in the crook of the earth's arm.

Here there are more bookstores than movie theatres,
And the televisions only get the news and the History Channel,
Logo and SciFi.
It's a big city, my city, with lots of people--
and maybe you know your neighbors,
Maybe not.

In the winter there's gift-giving, city-wide,
and in the spring comes the carnival.
In the fall we celebrate the return to knowledge,
our reunion with education.
In the summer there's a festival,
red lanterns lighting a shimmering dusk
and the stars descending at night.

Museums have free admission every Sunday,
and musicians play in crowded restaurants
with laughter floating 'round their notes.

And in the middle of it all,
in my city like a country,
I have a small apartment
where I live with all my books.
In the winter I have Christmas parties,
and in the spring we fall in love.
In the fall I dust my books off,
and in the summer we come alive.