Four o’clock, church bells chime.
Below me on the sidewalk
pedestrians leave their workplace,
move from one building to another.
Arms sway back and forth, left and right
as people propel themselves forward
through the sharp cool air.
They drag a retinue of shadows
following like translucent film.
These grey veils are larger
than their owners from where I sit.
They are the perfect partner
pacing with the soul of each foot
as it sets down into each step.
This dance is a reminder of the light
that shines upon us. How quickly
it disappears as one enters the building
and another is erased by a looming cloud.
