Shuffle Man

“SHUFFLE MAN” Poem & Lyrics by: Lisa Davis -- Lyrics: He shuffled along the pavements of the dirty, wet streets of NYC; like me. I was hoping he was like me and not one to skip an opportunity to rest from shuffling. I thought he was like me. He shuffled along the pavements of NYC. I thought he was like me. He shuffled along the pavements of NYC. It’s rush hour, and the speed warriors have little mercy... for shufflers. They walk to a different beat; A to Z and 1,1,1,1; not like mine and not like his I thought he was like me. He shuffled along the pavements of NYC. I thought he was like me. He shuffled along the pavements of NYC. -- This poem was created during Educational Alliance’s Poetry in Music workshop series with older New Yorkers in celebration of National Poetry Month. It was later transformed into a song using AI (Suno), with the original text set to music and the artist shaping the musical style to reflect the poem’s emotional tone. This process explored new creative tools and technologies. The piece was featured in the annual CelebratEArts festival, a month-long May exhibition honoring Older Americans Month. The festival celebrates creativity, expression, and connection through the arts. The 2026 theme, "The Power of Belonging," invited reflection on lived experience, the creative process, and the stories that connect us. Poetry is Music was facilitated by Xiomara A. Maldonado. The Artistic Director for CelebratEArts is Cory Michael Herman. Learn more about CelebratEArts at: 14streety.org/celebratearts #PoetryInMusic #MusicWithAI #CelebratEArts