Urben (Hotel Utopia Series) print

whether it be the dance of the flame or a neon light 

Utopia is usually portrayed as a saccharin-sweet display of nature's bounty, a cool slow-moving river bordered by forest, a scene shared with those we love.
But, most people choose not to live in the Garden of Eden, instead choosing the apple,  often referred to as the "concrete jungle" over the sanctuary of the primordial garden setting.
Seems that the human being is attracted to the energy of other human beings, and enjoys the sensation of light whether it be the dance of the flame or a neon light cutting through the dense air.
The city is a setting for the age-old hunt.  Men and women seek each other out for a night of lust or the promise of ever-lasting love and children.
We fear the countryside, the thought of being alone in the dark, far from populated thoroughfares, sidewalk cafes, theaters, art galleries, bars, pool halls, bowling alleys, and museums celebrating our existence.
We choose the maddening crowd, for a multitude of reasons, from employment to recreation, the urban environment supplies us with all our needs, including the fear that we bring with us as we protect our own imagined territories.
Yet we try to etch out a niche for ourselves in all the turmoil, and separation from all the city throws at us, as we savor the moments of solitude and imagination while closing our windows to the sounds of traffic below.
A siren pierces the air, we are urban.