New York in November

Dedicated to Louise Cabral Jackson


A beautiful lady enters the lobby
Of the Waldorf Astoria. And it is you.
You stop to look at the grand chandelier
And the black and white prints of a golden era.

Sparkling pearls and beaming smiles
Frame the walls, stolen moments captured in time
Such as flawless Gershwin tunes
Serenading old lady Manhattan.

You carry yourself gracefully,
Hand in hand with me, your adoring wife
As champagne on ice awaits us,
Early days in our charmed life.

Mahogany lifts and fur coats
The forty-first floor overlooks
Tall skyscrapers and neon lights
As the full moon rises above the Hudson.

We lovers smile and our reflections dance
In long corridors with mirrors
Past bellboys and tipping waiters;
Caught in our perfect dreamland.

We are enticed by New York
Guess handbags and Tiffany’s
And the company of its gentle giants,
And the shores of Ellis Island.

You pause again to take it all in
The constant hum of yellow cabs
The season’s bells and Broadway shows,
Pretzel vendors and Times Square.

It’s Macy’s Parade and Thanksgiving Dinner,
We walk past the animated crowds,
From the sinuous streets of Chinatown
To the grandeur of Park and Madison Avenues.

We stand on Terrace Bridge
Amongst the fallen leaves in Central Park.
As runners and carriages and tired horses go past
And the city breathes, air filled with promises.

The city has known many fates
Of highs and lows, much given and much taken
Of lovers and warriors, of hopes and broken dreams.
And yet she still stands proud, unshakable.

You befit the city my love
As you are kind as you are beautiful
Pale blue eyes which smile with so much love
Nurturing and wanting, forever in mine captivated.

 Janete Cabral Jackson