The exact location of “Busking” isn’t established, although the poet has lived in major cities across America including Washington, Boston, and New York. The details provided in the poem include public transportation and the chaos of urban life, which suggest that it could take place anywhere, not only in America but in other culturally forward cities around the world. There are other people in the scene, but the speaker doesn’t directly interact with them; in many cases, they walk by without noticing that they’re there.