It is true that changes do come over the Village like the waves of the
sea, even as my friend said. But they are colourful waves, prismatic
waves, fresh, invigourating and energetic waves, carrying on their
crests iridescent seaweed and glittering shells and now and then a
pearl. The Village has its treasure, have no doubt of that; never a
phase touches it but leaves it the richer for the contact.
You, too, going down into this port o' dreams will win something of
the wealth that is of the heart and soul and mind. You will come away
with the sense of wider horizons and deeper penetrations than you knew
before. You will find novel colours in the work-a-day world and a sort
of quaint music in the song of the city. Some of the glowing reds and
greens and purples that you saw those grown-up children in the Village
joyously splashing on their wooden toys or the walls of their absurd
and charming "shops" will somehow get into the grey fabric of your
life; and a certain eager urging undertone of idealism and hope and
sturdy aspiration will make you restless as you follow your common
round. Perhaps you will go back. Perhaps you will keep it as a rainbow
memory, a visualisation of the make-believe country where anything is
possible. But in any case you will not forget.
Many a place gets into your mind and creates nostalgia when you are
far from it. But Greenwich Village gets into your heart, and you will
never be quite able to lose the magic of it all the days of your life.
THE END
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account