When the City Spoke Back

Late evening on the train,

my mind still carrying

labels, lighting,

the weight of an opening night.

Across from me,

two strangers spoke softly—

not to me,

but about me without knowing.

“That art stroll makes the city feel alive.

It feels like ours.”

Their words,

unaware of my listening,

were louder than applause.

They reminded me—

beyond maps and budgets,

beyond the endless lists—

this work is about belonging.

That ride shifted me.

It taught me that impact doesn’t always arrive in headlines,

but in passing voices on MARTA,

proof that art and community

are moving together in Castleberry Hill.