10/9

today,
i wasn't going to photograph the parade,
over the 16 years that i have photographed it
(almost every year)
it had gotten smaller,
and i felt i had taken all the pictures
many times before
especially since there is no longer the same sense of community on the street...

but then i heard the music
and it wasn't just the same song
being played over and over
by each marching band
there was an afro caribbean element
that i don't remember hearing before
so
in the spirit of risha i went out
and
i am glad i did
there seemed to be a renewed richness of costumes and energy

later when examining the pix
i noticed one women's sash referenced "SF California"
and i wonder if the participants this year
came from outside NY State as well...
that would explain
what i felt
as an infusion of energy