February Evening in New York
--Denise Levertov 

As the stores close, a winter light
....opens air to iris blue,
....glint of frost through the smoke
....grains of mica, salt of the sidewalk.
As the buildings close, released autonomous 
....feet pattern the streets
....in hurry and stroll; balloon heads
....drift and dive above them; the bodies 
....aren't really there.
As the lights brighten, as the sky darkens,
....a woman with crooked heels says to another woman 
....while they step along at a fair pace,
...."You know, I'm telling you, what I love best
....is life. I love life! Even if I ever get
....to be old and wheezy—or limp! You know?
....Limping along?—I'd still ... " Out of hearing.
To the multiple disordered tones
....of gears changing, a dance
....to the compass points, out, four-way river. 
....Prospect of sky
....wedged into avenues, left at the ends of streets, 
....west sky, east sky: more life tonight! A range 
....of open time at winter's outskirts.