Outside of my window there are people that I know
Outside of my window there are people that I don’t
The people that I know are what makes this window my home
So I sit and watch the people walk together
And alone
From here, I can see Sammy
Who has owned the Auto Shop since before I was born.
He used to be really close with my grandmother,
We don’t say ‘hi’ as much now that she’s gone.
And she used to be really close with the Scarlinos
Who own the oil shop across the street
I can see them all from my window
I can see them working hard
When i’m just waking from my sleep
Further down the block there’s a bodega
Deli, corner store, or whatever it’s called
Inside they speak Spanish,
I learn some words in passing,
As I buy my bread and milk and move on
The window that I have sits at the corner
I can see both the avenue, and the street
Across the corner there’s my favorite shop of all
The Ballet School where I learned to spin
And fall
I love to watch it late at night
When the lights go on and I can see inside
On the wall there’s murals full of color
Painting full of people who have hope to go on
If you look closely
The shadows at night make the painting seem to dance
I know the people in the paintings
Like I know the back of my hands
I’ve learned their dance
But those are just the people that I know
The people passing by
Have stories that they hide
I meet them once
And then never again
I see them on the highway
For a second they drive by
As I count all the cars that I like
Like counting the trains in the night
The elevated train brings
Thunder like its raining
Even when there’s no clouds in the sky
At 3 a.m. I hear it rumble by
I wonder who rides the train that late at night
I wonder about the people passing by
For just a second, from the window
I might be part of their lives
And I know that they’re apart of mine
