I am a New Yorker

I am a New Yorker
I may no longer live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate
I may now live hundreds or thousands of miles away
Or I may live just over the GW Bridge
But I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
Whatever took me out of New York:
Business, family or hating the cold did not take New York out of me.
My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed
But I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza,
The Yankees or the Mets
Jones Beach or Rye Beach or one of the beaches on the sound
I know that THE END; means Montauk.
Because I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
When I go on vacation, I never look up
Skyscrapers are something I take for granted
The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me
Taxis and noise and subways and get outa heah; don't rattle me
Because I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct
I eat Greek food and Italian food, Jewish and Middle Eastern food and
Chinese food
Because they are all American food to me.


I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence
Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to
stay.
They were New Yorkers


I am a New Yorker
People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me
My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses
that benefit all Americansl
My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers
They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans
Because they were New Yorkers.


I am a New Yorker
I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers
I mourn the loss of my beautiful city
I feel and dread that New York will never be the same
But then I remember:
I am a New Yorker


And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens
Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence
Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond
Faith--no matter what religion we practice


Terrorists hit America in its heart
But America's heart still beats strong
Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn't touch the steel in
our souls
Hit us in the pocketbook; but we'll parlay what we have left into a fortune
End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we'll take care of
them
Because they are New Yorkers


Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are
There are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation
We will not abandon our city
We will not abandon our brothers and sisters
We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversity that New York represents
Because we are New Yorkers
And we are proud to be New Yorkers


- Author Unknown

Thanks Patrice for sharing. I enjoyed reading it.

Patrice, where did you find this? Thank you for posting it.

Wow, that's was nice. I live in Ontario Canada but i will live in New York some day. I want to be part of that beutifull city and the busyness of it. Thanks for that peom!

My girlfriend sent me a card right after 9/11 with this, or atleast a very similar poem.

Made me cry.

I love my city!

That was probably the most inspriational, pride-stirring poem I have ever read in my life. Thank you for posting it.

what's an amazing poem !! hy my name is yudz i'm french and i didn't understood all your srib but i see all your heart in your words and i like that !
Me i'll want to go in nyc for learn english because... for that i think i need 3 or 4 months, but i'have a job and i'll want to known if someone wants to take my job with a car and an house in france vs why not the same think in NY...bye

Thats hot!

I saw this right after 9/11. I had it in my cubicle. I have lived and worked in two states where they resent New Yorkers. Provinicalism I think they call it. Anyway I was born and raised in New York. This year in 2006 I'm going to end my 20 year Odyessy and go home for good. You can go home again, because I am a New Yorker. Mike

Patrice - awesome - thanks for posting this. I sent this to a friend to explain what it means to be a Native New Yorker - especially the values we cherish and the love for others- sadly this is not depicted in the media... Thanks again, I will keep this one for sure. Rich