The City, by Andrea Jones Walker

The City 
  
Starting at the border 
of that thousand-piece puzzle 
under the blue light of sky,  
I stand on the balcony 
with the turbaned man in brown 
and the red-scarved woman, 
squint my eyes at her brilliant apparel  
reflected in fiery windows in brick walls 
painted with sunbursts, 
dip my hand in red dye and 
press it to the alley wall as the young boy
sprints around the narrow corner  
play chess with the men on a bench
outside the tailor’s shop.  
Then I examine the jigsaw pieces,  
turning and trying,  
until each building,  
each room, 
each corridor, 
each alley, 
each courtyard  
eases into the only place it will fit.  

Andrea Jones Walker

This poem was inspired by Steve McCurry's photograph, The Blue City, Rajasthan, India. View it here.

Andrea Jones Walker is a Florida native who loves the beach. A retired English teacher and lover of words and art, she's had poems published in several journals and co-edits panoplyzine. She's published four books, and her first poetry collection Altars of Wonder: Poetry and Prose is forthcoming.