New York, I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for complaining about your smelly Subway trains.
I’m sorry for moaning about my morning commute.
I’m sorry for not eating more of your dollar slice pizzas.
I’m sorry for not visiting Central Park as much as I should.
I’m sorry for being freaked out by the crazy people on your streets.
I’m sorry for thinking everything is too overpriced.
I’m sorry for spending weekends outside of the city.
I’m sorry for not seeing every show on Broadway.
I’m sorry for never going up the Rockefeller Building to see the view.
I’m sorry for never getting around to visiting the 9/11 museum.
I’m sorry for saying the streets smelled bad.
I’m sorry for saying the food was too greasy.
I’m sorry for never going to any of your fancy nightclubs.
I’m sorry for putting things off, saying I would do them in the summer instead.
I’m sorry for not trying enough brunch places.
I’m sorry for complaining you always had me broke.
I’m sorry for not pinching myself enough because I live in your great city.
I’m sorry for not visiting all five boroughs.
I’m sorry for never getting to Ellis Island.
I’m sorry I never made it upstate.
I’m sorry for not appreciating you as much as I should have.
I’m sorry your streets are empty.
I’m sorry Broadway has closed down.
I’m sorry there are no tourists.
I’m sorry there are no crowds.
I’m sorry we’re all in our homes.
I’m sorry the city is just not the same.
I’m sorry for all of the quiet.
I’m sorry you’re just not the same.
I’m sorry your streets are so sad and deserted.
I’m sorry you’ve lost your hustle and bustle.
I’m sorry you’re no longer the city that never sleeps.
I’m sorry that this is a new New York.
Oh New York, this just feels so strange.
The quiet, the eerie and the all very sad.
The streets empty, lights turned off and shops boarded up.
The American dream it feels, is no more.
But New York, we’ll come back again some day.
You’re New York, you’re the toughest there is.
There’s nowhere on this earth quite like New York.
We’ll be back, there’s no doubt about that.
But for now we have a new New York.
The streets are empty, the businesses all closed.
The cameras are put away, Times Square is in darkness.
I’m sorry New York.
It will get better someday.
By Orlagh Shanks
Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.
Aw this makes me so sad love, I really hope you can do some of the things you wanted to before you have to return home ☹️
Thanks Jess. I know, I really hope we are able to make the most of our last few months here.