“Insights Coming from Observations While Focusing on a Pane of Glass at the Bus Stop” (28 June 2011)

Shadows dance

across the plate of glass,

intertwined

with the sun’s rays.

The lower panes reflect,

Distort, or illuminate

images of passersby, revealing

reflections, interpretations

of reality—the bright

reflection

of a truck cruising with

more paint and bling

and noise than substance,

the darker slant of

a pony-tailed blonde, hustling

to class, her teal shirt

attempting to mask

the worry and doubt seen

only through the shadowy

reflection.

The breezes shift, and

the enhanced clarity of

the glass captures her

exuberance

for life.

The shuttle pulls up and

blocks the play of light

and dark, freezing

the moment, eliminating

the shifting patterns of

light and dark, capturing

a second where the ever-

changing influences of the winds

die.

This protected moment

shows the scene for what

it is—no guesses,

no façade,

no deceit. But

when the respite

passes, when the bus

pulls away from the hard curb

of reality, the endless

possibilities hidden in the

changing light

come alive.

Sometimes nobody else

notices the flashes

of potential, sometimes we try

to hide

in the inconsistent movement

coming and going

in the breeze, insecure

in the truth trapped in the still

silence of the reflection;

the stillness,

though,

sets the truth free.

If possible, I'd like some feedback on this rough piece I threw together this morning during a class activity.