I have always wondered what it would be like
to take a solo stroll at night.
To observe the city
in a different kind of light.
I bet that the streets are quiet,
in a comforting kind of way.
I bet that the stars are wonderful
as with the moon they play.
I imagine that it feels nice
when everyone is asleep.
In a city where millions reside,
you’re the only heart that beats.
I know that I will never get this experience
without feeling deeply afraid,
because everything inside of me
has been conditioned and betrayed.
A woman has no place
out on the streets at night,
until her fellow man
chooses to protect and not to fight.
Until that day,
that seems so very far away,
I will sit and imagine
a dark city filled with compassion.