Seattle is a vibrant city full of affluence, local industry, container shipping, and Starbucks. Tourists flock here each year on cruise ships, stopping off to walk the sights before continuing on up to Alaska. The city lives and breathes twenty-four seven and at any time cool jazz floats into the air around Pioneer Square from cellar clubs, bars and nightclubs. It's an 'in' place to live and the hub of a unique ferry system that serves the entire Puget Sound.
Seattle also has a darker side like all cities. Homeless gather in little pockets at night, sleeping in squalid conditions and relying on various charities for a meal. During the day the homeless find a niche along the waterfront or outside little eateries around the city, begging. I was suprised at the young age of some of them and was reminded of the thousands of kids on London's darker streets.
Seattle, like London, is what you make of it.
Blues In Emerald City
I'm waitin for the ferry
Yeah, lookin cross the Sound
My sweet baby's left me all alone
she was big dream city bound
Somewhere in a crowd of troubled souls
She'll be hangin round the square
The square that shows no pity
Only dream my woman has
Is blues in Emereald city
There's heartache on the ferry
Oh, no-one knows my pain
I'll keep walkin till I find her
Walkin through the tears and pain
Hammerin man on second avenue
He's not sayin where she's at
He hammers without pity
Iron giant without soul
There's blues in Emerald city
A poor man stands in Pike Place
He's holdin out his hand
In his empty eyes I see her
Earnin booze with one night stands
Somewhere on these blacktop slopes
Gonna find her in a bar
The bartend pretends pity
Red eyed singer sings the blues
Sings blues in Emerald city
copyright Raymond Stone c.Feb2001
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