room to move and breathe

This city lays so still these nights,
With the snowfall never coming to a halt,
Flakes swirling in pale reddish streetlights
That tremor and mirror in the wet asphalt.

This city lays a weight on your mind,
People way near, humans impossibly far.
Room to move and breathe is hard to find
Where you are hurt for what you are.

This city makes you wanna touch someone
To feel their heartbeat pulsating underneath,
Make their sneering condescendence be gone
To give you a little room to move and breathe.

This city makes me like it better with lights out.
At least that’d be a reason to lay still these nights,
Oblivious to same old me and these lines about
Room to move and breathe and human rights.