New York

when my nerve wore down
i was assailed by simple little sounds
hammer clangs, sirens in the park
like i never heard new york
blaring brakes, trapped trucks
honking horns, hissing buses stuck
shrieking trains barreling berserk
like i never heard new york
when the room grew loud
i learned to stand in the back
behind the crowd
dam canals with cork
like i never heard new york
but when the walls gave way
i had to flee, i had to back away
as the whole town barked
like i never heard new york