There are so many infinite reasons I love Montreal, the total solar eclipse being one of them. Collective awe being another, and the waft of smoke from sausages grilling in Jeanne-Mance, on a perfect spring summer day, wedged between new friends and old friends. I love the walking, the students in throngs, lopsided houses, big lazy bulldogs, The Word’s irreplaceable book displays. The spring here is dirty and dusty, but even still, I love it to death, especially now. I love the sky above Montreal, I love the ground holding it still and pushing it towards history. I love this city, the unexpected shapes it makes, all these languages chirping, offering me a new day.