The Making of a City - Chicago

A restless, relentless, multi- cultural city, 

troubled by the sound of its own name.

 Submerged in the shadows of its own long story,

 immersed in the echoes of its fame.

 Chicago cries out for its rights in the daytime 

and at night it cries for its wrongs.

 Chicago still fighting the same old fights 

still singing the same old songs. 

 The windy city of breezes, city of multiple stars,

 city of alcohol flowing freely, city of a thousand bars.

 The Irish, the Polish, Italians too 

all finding their place in the sun.

From the Northside down to the Southside

people coming together as one.

 Chicago is filled with hopes and promises

 as peaceful as the Chicgo river. 

And sometimes it lets you down, 

but there are dreams Chicago delivers. 

 Where struggles sing through history,

 and groans in the streets late at night,

 State street and the Miracle Mile,

 sounds of the southside fights. 

 Wander down to North Avenue

 corner bars and the old alehouse.

Old Town's famous curio shops

cafes and the brick courthouse.

 Among the towering skyscrapers 

find the tops of divided steeples. 

A city dressed in country flags,

a city of hard working people.

 Chicago was created to show us

 what life can be like, and death. 

Life, just like Chicago, is breathtaking, 

Chicago is a taker of breath.

A city filled with diversity,

 with every word that it utters.

 A city with hope pouring through its veins

 and alcohol flowing through gutters.

 Rush Street over to Grant Park Memorial

to the great city fire, 

Buckingham fountain after dark 

Shoppers filled with desire.

Walk along the Miracle Mile 

 Streets alive with taxis and cars.

 Great Lakes down to Navy Pier spent

 under the lights of Northern stars.

 Proud and resistant people 

 City of rock and roll guitars, 

City that sang so the world might sing,

Pipers Alley could make you a star. 

 In Chicago life can be brutal,

Criminal, hopeless, and lost

 Politics seem to run the city,

 Winning is everything whatever the cost.

 Come and show me another city

 that has created so much history, 

a city so raucous, and diversified,

 a city that sets people free. 

 The sixties were a turbulent time,

 the nation was a troulbled land.

 Chicago saw violence and riots,

 and some of the best 60s bands.

 Chicago has its very own heartbeat,

 taker and a giver of life. 

A town in middle America 

with its laughter and its strife

Waiting for a chance to reconcile its story,

 waiting for its dreams to be resolved.

 Striving for a future in a changing world,

 with a chance for its wrongs to be solved. 

 Chicago listens to everyday sounds

 where the music of history will play. 

Waiting for the chords to strike up the times 

that made up tomorrow, yesterday, and today. 

 And Chicago will be the melody. 

The music will never be wrong. 

The people will be the singers 

and Chicago will be the song.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

With so much bad news about American cities being circulated now, it's nice to see a positive ode to level the playing field somewhat. Wherever Carl Sandburg is, I hope he reads this one.