Aivan Karade Why I Still Love New York City

I came here with a suitcase and a digital ghost
To the city that demands the absolute most
From the Port Authority to the lights of the Square
There’s a static electricity charging the air

I walked the High Line when the sun started setting
Over rooftops and dreams that the dreamers are betting
You don't just visit, you surrender your soul
To the concrete, the iron, and the heart of the whole

I looked up at the Chrysler, that silver-topped spire
And felt the cold wind fueling my fire
From the Bowery nights to the Harlem mornings
You gave me the sparks without any warnings

Oh, New York, I’m kneeling at your feet
In the steam from the grate and the noise of the street
You’re the cathedral of the wild and the brave
The only city that knows how to save
Everything I was, and everything I’ll be
Thank you for the chaos, thank you for being me

I found my religion in a deli at three
In the Lower East Side, just the city and me
Crossed the Brooklyn Bridge while the skyline was glowing
Like a billion tiny promises, constantly growing
I sat in the Ramble, in the green of the Park
While the Empire State lit a hole in the dark
You’re a beautiful monster, you’re a jagged-edged saint
You’re the masterpiece that the heavens couldn't paint

It’s the L-train hustle
It’s the Chelsea piers
It’s the weight of a century of hopes and fears
You don't ask for permission, you don't take a break
You’re the only real thing that the world couldn't fake

Oh, New York, I’m kneeling at your feet
In the steam from the grate and the noise of the street
You’re the cathedral of the wild and the brave
The only city that knows how to save
Everything I was, and everything I’ll be
Thank you for the chaos, thank you for being me

You’re the only one
The only one
Still the center of the world