Rainy Soggy Philadelphia
by Rea Lotlikar and Sonali Lotlikar
Off to Philadelphia for a night.
From Downingtown to Downtown on I—95.
Music blaring, GPS tracking, and eyes fixed outside.
We wait in anticipation to catch the first glimpse of the skyline.
Quintessential houses on Schuylkill River slowly float by.
The city of brotherly love emerges magnificent in the shrouded covered fog.
The skyscrapers spires reach high amidst the blanketed clouds.
Twinkling city lights comes in focus and stays in sight.
Almost heaven, ethereal and dream like.
We navigate and maneuver through the narrow sequestered streets.
Spectrum of colors: yellow, red, blue, and green,
reflect on the rain-soaked sidewalks and concrete.
Graffiti murals splashed against the walls,
For each speaks a mystery, a unique story.
Colorfully surreal, I wonder, is it art, vandalism, or just plain disobedience displayed for all?
Beneath the beaten umbrellas, pedestrians rush purposefully.
Homeless loitering and peddling for money.
We hover for a quick second in the warmth of the manhole’s rising steam.
The cacophony of sounds: somnambulant musicians, accelerating cabs, the distant sounds of sirens,
breathes life into this great old city.
We turn right onto Walnut Street, reminding of impressionist oil painting.
Lined with Michelin star restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops.
For its signature dish, the famous Philly cheese steaks, we make a stop.
Bustling with shoppers, trendy stores and boutiques stay open late.
Myriad long lines sprawl around the block, maybe waiting for a parade.
The impatient traffic doesn’t halt.
It evokes an angry holler or remark from pedestrians to slow down.
The rain soon loosens its strength and begins to drizzle and fade.
As the tranquility of night slowly descends.
Surreptitiously the commotion and the clatter silence.
Perched pigeons whired their feathers and settle in the crevices of old buildings.
The cast from a late performormance bid farewell under the illuminated drizzle of street lamps.
A final wink from William Penn atop City Hall heights,
Thank you Philly for the unexpected rainfall.
Rea Lotlikar and Sonali Lotlikar are 14 year old identical twins from Downingtown, PA. We love to dance: Tap, Hip hop. We have been dancing since we were two. We play tennis and we are on the school team. We love to paint and do all sort of arts and crafts. We like science, math and computer programming and recently started our own YouTube channel. This is our first attempt at poetry and a recent visit to Philadelphia inspired us to write this poem.