✴︎ now this

a short piece about walking in one of my favourite cities, a love letter to London, adapted for an open mic reading.

first performed in atlanta in july 2025.

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I started walking as soon as I stepped foot in London, and I do not think I ever stopped. I walked with family, with friends, with friends of friends; with groups, in groups; for work, for fun, for purpose; when it rained, when it shone, when it snowed (sometimes all in the same day). 

But I really walked best when I was by myself – getting lost in the city almost every day; my earphones in, my mind wandering almost as much as my feet, the cool air always in my face. 

The following piece is my tribute to some of these moments, and all those walks

.

walking…along the winding river

in the evenings after work

the entire city at my feet, literally

in the mornings after late nights

.

the sun kissing my shoulders

passing by hordes of tourists

.

walking…the smells of the city in my nose

of mint hot chocolate and mulled wine in the winter

of overpriced sticky candied peanuts in the autumn 

of cheap fried food all year round

of sweaty buskers and runners

of weed, piss and rats

.

walking…in the park on windy days

leaves swirling dramatically around me

the wind deafening in its refrain

.

walking….sticking my tongue out to catch snowflakes

the lake in the park, almost frozen

five ducklings waddling on it in a single file

.

walking….on pebbled beaches and cobblestoned paths

more than one pair of shoes ruined when it rained

.

walking…across bridges connecting the old and the new

walking…along roads connecting the abundant and the few

.

walking….across red brick houses along quiet, dusty lanes

wondering about the people in those big houses

stepping silently, but noisy in my head

.

walking to the bookstore, to the tube, to the museum

walking to the stadium, to the pool, to nowhere in particular

.

walking to hidden gardens with peacocks and koi

walking to find secret patches with silent swings

.

walking past graffiti, and banksy 

walking past statues for the brave

.

walking while on the phone to my family

walking to collect food sent from home

walking while sipping on cheap cocktails

walking towards greasy pub dinners

.

walking to post the mail, and to go bowling

walking to get a dramatic haircut, and then a tattoo

.

walking with a smile on my face

walking with my fists clenched

walking with my heart in the pit of my stomach

but mostly walking with my eyes wide in wonder

.

walking to explore this beautiful city

and then walking home, too.