a summertime stroll through the park at midnight

it's a peaceful

night

in the city.

it hasn't been this quiet

since

the 1950's.

not a single gunshot is heard,

not a scream,

or squeal

of tires,

not a siren wailing

in the air.

shame that it took an army

to calm things

down

and make

it safe again to walk

the streets

of the city.

look, there's a park bench

with no one asleep

on it,

let's go sit over there.