There was a time the city sang, when laughter filled the streets, when strangers stopped to say hello, and kindness came on little feet. When buses hummed and streetcars rang, when theaters filled at night, when roses bloomed along the walks, and downtown danced in light. A place to live, a place to love, a place to work and play, where friendship needed no excuse, and smiles could make your day. Then came the silence, strange and still, the world behind closed doors, the laughter vanished overnight, the footsteps came no more. And just as silence settled in, the darkness learned to roar, explosions shattered peaceful nights, and fear came through the door. The towers caught the awful sounds, and threw them wall to wall, the sirens screamed, the windows shook, there was no peace at all. I watched a stranger fall in pain, heard violence echo through the night, and wondered where my neighbors stood, if anyone would do what's right. I raised my voice, I begged for help, I thought they'd understand, that frightened hearts behind those walls were reaching for a hand. But when I cried, "We're drowning here!" and reached toward the shore, they threw me blocks of heavy stone, then turned away once more. I told my friends, "We must stand strong, we're all we have, you see." But one by one, they wandered off, until there was just me. The sun went down, the stars grew dim, the warmth began to fade, and somewhere in the endless night, I lost the life we'd made. They painted ABOLISH on the walls, a heart beside the word, while calls for love and unity grew quieter, unheard. And there I stood among the ruins, where once I'd laughed and played, asking how a city full of souls could leave one so afraid. The years rolled on, the rent went up, the walls grew tired and worn, and every morning I awoke to grieve another dawn. I missed the calls that lasted hours, the laughter without end, the simple joy of hearing someone say, "I called because you're my friend." I missed the woman I once knew, though really, truth be told, I missed the life she used to live, before the nights grew cold. But once, beside the ocean blue, I laughed beneath the sky, and for a day the world felt kind, the waves went rolling by. And though that friendship wandered off, that day was truly mine, a little proof that somewhere still, the sun remembered how to shine. So here I stand, my Rose City, I haven't ceased to care, though love feels lost among your streets, I know it once lived there. I don't demand a perfect world, or hearts that all agree, just neighbors who can disagree and still show decency. A hand extended, not a stone, a voice that says, "I'm here," a city brave enough to heal, and love enough to conquer fear. I cannot bring back yesterday, or all who walked away, but I can hope the streets I loved will find their heart someday. And if the roses bloom again, where sorrow once arose, perhaps the city that I loved will become The City That Rose. And maybe I will rise with her, not who I was before, but someone who can laugh again, and open one more door. For though the sun has hidden long, and darkness took its toll, it never quite extinguished the last sunrise within my soul.
