A Brazilian in NYC
I wake up in the morning and look out the window
The sun is bright and it feels just right
As winter waxes and wanes
Spring flowers blossom on Central Park
I grab my cup of coffee
It tastes like Brazil and smells like NY
I dress in a light blue jacket and run to my doctor’s appointment
As I get outside of my building the cold wind chills my bones
I should have brought my winter’s coat
It looks like a warm day
And feels like the winter is never gone
At the doctor’s office, people wait
Each one in their own world
I wish I could leave
But I am wounded so I have to stay
The Doctor is late and I wonder if I can run away
As there is nowhere to go I sit and wait
My afternoon is filled with a bagel, lox, and cream cheese
A coffee on the go
The taste brings together my European heritage, the American teen months spent in NY and the Brazilian strong flavors
I walk back home feeling uneasy
There is work to do and I miss the sun
My phone doesn’t stop ringing
There is a food delivery
I hear the sirens and the honking of the cars
I get ready to leave and meet my date
High heels won’t do much on NYC streets
I go for the sneaker and black sets the tone
It’s a fancy restaurant and we meet halfway
A driver in a black car opens the door for their celebrity passengers
The celebrity chef greets us by the door
I remember what brought us to that place
A distant celebration
A 20-year anniversary that wasn’t celebrated on the date
We sit outside in cozy tents
A trend brought by us by the Covid pandemic
We order our food and under our feet, the earth quakes
The subway just passed, oh, right
French food is delicious, the wine is right
The check comes sour, always so high
We head back home
Syrens lead our way
Homeless people lie down
5th Avenue is now empty
Except for the people getting ready for bed on the streets
It feels cold and I miss Brazil
I miss the nice weather and the warm people
The parties and the flavors
The colors and the music
But what I miss does not exist anymore
The colors have faded, the streets no longer welcoming
Perhaps it’s the pandemic or change or time gone by
Maybe I’ve changed too
My past and present have become a fine line
The flavors blending, the memories mixing
And here I am a Brazilian walking on the streets of NY
Such a cosmopolitan city, New York
Bringing together spices from all over the world
As I walk my way home Uptown
I step into my future, never forgetting where I came from
About the Author:
Ilana is a journalist and entrepreneur from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is passionate about helping people find their voices and pursue their dreams. It is never too late to start and never too early to change.
