New York City Water Towers

 

Ode to the water towers
Ugly
Like some teenage blemish
Yet beautiful somehow
Standing naked
with nothing
to hide
nothing
to apologize about
plain and simple
water tower
delivering your water daily
simply
like the news

 

The water tower is a distinctive mark upon the New York City skyline, a rustic, turn of the century nod to convenience and practicality. If you want water pressure, you need a water tower. While some of the fancier buildings tried to hide the awkward structures behind shields and veneers of various kinds, most buildings wear their towers proudly.