I.
Wake up to an opened window and
the aftertaste of 99¢’s worth in
Welch’s soda and street slice–
Stranger, you slept in a city that never does–
but a midnight you made plans for morning in
your notes app, adjacent a musical’s motif:
…don’t let him look back, Eurydice…
but you can’t stop Orpheus in the streets
if he’s searching for your hand.

Songbird in a sweater vest
steps out into Times Square;
“I’m walking here,” you sing.
You sing while walking there.

II.
Sit in a starchy seat as
straight as Times New Roman
though scribble is your fondest font–
Student, write what you need and never what you want–
so a terrorist in a libel-red suit with
angles sharper than your headlines will
tear your magazine to marginalia and
have you ever felt more alive?
more craven for critique?
sweating in Aristotelian story structure,
bleeding AP Stylebook ink?
the apple of a publisher’s eye,
sinking teeth into the Big Apple’s sky?

Songbird in a sweater vest
steps, learned, out of lectures;
“I’m walking here,” you sing.
You sing walking from there.

III.
Pray at el catedral to
the One who sent you there where
no litmag is quite lit as the illuminated manuscript and
its crinkled crimson letters and in
a way most multimedia–
Soul, you poet transient, make note and notice your people–
Brea, organizing oakwood symbolism;
Colin, symbolizing oakwood organ;
and Nico, so silent her confirmation saint could have said,
“Go home and build your Network
bright as billboards in Times Square.”

Songbird in a sweater vest
steps back onto campus;
“I’m walking here,” you sing.
You sing ‘cause you were walking there.

P.S.– It was an honor to represent Hatter Network branches Touchstone and the Reporter in New
York City as they each received erudite critiques and Apple Awards for Best Magazine at the 2025
College Media Association Spring National College Media Convention – Pro Con 25. I am
eternally grateful to everyone from Hatter Network who helped this little bookworm munch her
way to the Big Apple, especially Mrs. Belk, Ali, Sheridan, and Sara. I could not be more inspired
by the opportunity to learn as a staff member, writer, and forthcoming Web Editor of Hatter
Network’s publications. Breanna, Colin, and Nico, I dare not imagine learning, standing in awe of
eighteen-mile oodles of books, musing over theology at midnight, studying the margins of spreads
in news and literary magazines, or being sheepishly told we “Look like [we would] appreciate
LEGO rats,” with anyone else. Let us keep publishing good news and peace together.
May this poem ever be an encouragement to the members of Hatter Network – past,
present, and future – that my three tableaus of Times Square are meant for you to sing “I’m walking
here,” in, too. (And please do listen to some snazzy jazzy music while you reread, as it is the
rhythm of the city.)