I am a New Yorker

Photos By Papomena

I am a New Yorker

I do not live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate

I may 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 Met's (Giants or Dodgers)

Jones Beach, Rye Beach, Rockaway 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

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 Americans

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 - Vincent Pasquale, Maspeth, NY

Thank you Vincent for allowing us to share this with

our fellow New Yorkers all around the world.