Here's a poem I wrote while waiting for my first philosophy class to begin.  I'm 
a bit nervous about posting here because I've lurked for long enough to 
recognize all of the wonderful talent on this list.  This is my second time 
posting.  Feedback would be wonderfully appreciated!  All the standard 
disclaimers apply.  Neither the characters nor the references are mine, except 
in my fondest dreams.

***

This City
by Andrea (Vicommi@aol.com)

***

Some cities glitter at night 
So that they mirror on the ground
The Heavens above
Some cities shine through the darkness.
   And some cities,
Standing in the shadows of the others,
Wallow in it.

Gotham is one of those cities.
The moment you enter the city limits, you feel it.
Not a quasi-physical blow like the one that assails your senses in cities like
    New York
        Metropolis
In Gotham, you feel a draining-
A loss of something, some part of your soul
That you had thought was crucial.

Even expunged under the brightest midday sun
Gotham relishes its shadows
And at night...
Well, let's just say that one learns how to blend into the night.

Yet in this city, this sanctum of Shadows,
Even in this other-worldly place...
There is light.

In a tower like Rapunzel
Behind a piece heralding midnight
There is the steady clicking and clatter of life.
The sequestered priestess gathers her information.
And the light from her personal scrying pool
Reflects off the wire rims around her emerald eyes
Like twin stars.
So that a small haven is cleared.
Where the shadows don't penetrate the light of the stars.
And weary travelers,
Nigh broken from the night's events
And seeking comfort,
Can come in for respite
From the city of Shadows.