It seems to me that whenb the poet writes:

But I am losing strength to fight
for the world in my imagination. Acceptance of reality
makes me a fossil of society.

he is saying that the quotidian reality of the city, in spite of its benefits such as:

he park out my back window, a job that pays.

the poet (or the narrator) feels stifled and ground down, unable to enter the wold of his imagination any longer. The narrator reminds himself that:

Basho in old age found strength to walk
deep into the mountains. He visited famous sites
up north. Po Chu-i traveled mountains in his dreams.

And is suggesting that he also might visit mountains, whether in reality or in imagination, perhaps specifically the Tetons. (I have visited the Tetons myself, and they are indeed impressive.) He reminds himself that "You can leave at any time."

However there is also imagery of death in this poem. The line:

My city, my death, I did it my way.

suggests that the narrator is already dead, perhaps only in spirit. (It also echos the end-of-life images of the popular song "My Way".) Comparing himself to a "fossil" might be another such image of death, as may the final phrase "freedom to have never been." as night the early phrase "stalled on Triborough Bridge".

I have not sought out or read any critical analysis of this poem or this author's work, and do not know anything about the author's life or other works.

It seems to me that when the poet writes:

But I am losing strength to fight
for the world in my imagination. Acceptance of reality
makes me a fossil of society.

he is saying that the quotidian reality of the city, in spite of its benefits such as:

he park out my back window, a job that pays.

the poet (or the narrator) feels stifled and ground down, unable to enter the world of his imagination any longer. The narrator reminds himself that:

Basho in old age found strength to walk
deep into the mountains. He visited famous sites
up north. Po Chu-i traveled mountains in his dreams.

And is suggesting that he also might visit mountains, whether in reality or in imagination, perhaps specifically the Tetons. (I have visited the Tetons myself, and they are indeed impressive.) He reminds himself that "You can leave at any time."

However there is also imagery of death in this poem. The line:

My city, my death, I did it my way.

suggests that the narrator is already dead, perhaps only in spirit. (It also echoes the end-of-life images of the popular song "My Way".) Comparing himself to a "fossil" might be another such image of death, as may the final phrase "freedom to have never been." as night the early phrase "stalled on Triborough Bridge".

I have not sought out or read any critical analysis of this poem or this author's work, and do not know anything about the author's life or other works.