(with apologies to Elia)

I knew a city once, I knew Manhattan,
In my days of childhood, in my joyful schooldays—
All, all are gone, the old familiar landmarks.

I have been laughing, I have been coquetting,
Primping late, preening late, in Peacock Alley—
All, all are gone, the old familiar landmarks.

I knew a square once, jolliest of plazas:
Rapt is its glory hence, the Garden brick-dust;
All, all are gone, the old familiar landmarks.

I have a friend, a kinder friend has no one:
Like an ingrate, I left my friend abruptly;
Left him, to muse on the old familiar landmarks.

Ghostlike I paced round the haunts of my childhood,
Paused at the reservoir, soon to be earth-choked,
Soon to be lost with the old familiar landmarks.

Friend of my bosom, thou more than brother,
Why wert not thou born in my old Manhattan?
So might we talk of the old familiar landmarks—

How some have changed, some been erased forever,
Some been disfigured; all are departed—
All, all are gone, the old familiar landmarks.