First Steps

First steps in a different city, 

Your hand clutches your suitcase. 

Backpack slung over a shoulder, 

Clean sheets in a quiet hotel room, 

Flip the lights on, it’s brand new, 

Explore: you never know 

What you might find within yourself.

Step through a doorway, 

See something new, 

Meander through the crowds, 

Walk over cigarettes on the streets, 

Keep promises to yourself, 

Don’t break the spell of unfamiliarity, 

Ride the subway through dark tunnels, 

Find meaning in the silent places, 

The busy ones too, 

Don’t let yourself forget, 

What you felt when you took those steps.