The street lights flicker
Above me
As we walk down the streets
Casting shadows
On dirty grey sidewalks
Over slushy grey snow

“How much further?”
We echo through our parents ears
Following the footprints made before us
And creating the footprints yet to be

The noise of the streets
Blow through the wind
Of the windy city
Cars honking
Music playing
Subways running underground

The smell of popcorn
At our favorite place
Or a stuffy taxi cab
The Hot chocolate when we skate
And the way the steam hits your face

Windows on Michigan
The magnificent mile

The Lincoln Park Zoo
And its light display

The Sears Tower
Hovering above the rest

Millennium Park
Where I learned to skate

And the Art Institute
With the little doll houses

Chicago
The city
Where the lights always shine
And the wind always blows
And the train starts to slow

Our Tradition
With its imperfect little trips
And its freezing time of year
But they’re my little things to love