Civitate Nocte

A brief respite from the rain as night falls in my city.

The lights send out warm glows, softening that which by day is gritty.

Time slows; a sign beckons towards spots were friendship grows.

Laughter, talk, and the hurried footsteps of a passerby are all things that play across the calm of the evening sky.

Stately buildings stand guard as they have done for years; witness to never ending cycles of joy and tears.

I observe endings. Of the day; of the month; perhaps of things unseen. I drift along the way, content to be exactly here; in this scene; as night falls in my city.

This Just in! This post is now a participant in the Smiley Sociology Study #5 NaPoWriMo 2011. Check out the others at the host site: Smiley Sociological Study #5 NaPoWriMo 2011

Walk With Me Along One Life Thread

I have been going to school at Washington State University Vancouver for three years now. It has become my home away from home, a sanctuary from the storm outside, and a place highly responsible for unleashing my true self. I have always felt it is a beautiful campus. So for the next six weeks, leading up to my pending graduation, I’d introduce you to some of the little things I notice.

The Library stands atop a hill; the view outside its windows has been a constant companion as I immersed myself in books and projects, the comfort of nature’s touch just outside. Today, I am standing in that view, looking back.

From down here I encounter little details on big rocks; details not visible from my usual perch. A colony of moss for instance, living out its entire lifecycle without notice; that is except for the wandering eye of a student who has shirked other responsibilities in favor of a stroll.

A bit further on and one happens upon one of many original sculptures that dot the landscape. This one is worked in bronze and copper; a patina forms across the artist’s intent; the viewer’s eye meant to flutter across the rendered figures while contemplating their meaning.

Patterns and themes emerge from closer inspection.

Explicit exhortations provide convenient conclusions to the day’s dalliance.

Intimate Gentrification

As exhilarating as I find my urban surroundings, I remain at heart a country boy. Born and raised in the natural paradise of the Napa Valley, I now find myself cast upon the shores of another Arcadia.

Finding myself in need of solitude and calm; I flee the city down winding forest roads.

The closeness of the trees gives way to expansive views. A mist rises from the river not quite seen. The warmth of home welcomes serene.

I wander back ways and towns forgotten; empty windows reflecting onto bygone days.

Abandoned public houses moored in a long past daze.

Color fades with life; from the water.

From the fabric of men.

Replaced by natural corporeality.

Progress inverted.

Ruination averted.

Time flows onward carrying me along for the ride; ever reawakening; ever regenerating; forever transformed.

Right Down the Street is a Different Time and Space

Zee and I spent the day in one of our favorite little pieces of Portland. The Park Blocks encompass a series of city blocks known as the Cultural District; all of which is located in the Southwest quadrant of the city. In addition to a series of old churches, the historical society, living spaces, and myriad museums, this area also feeds onto the Portland State University Campus.

From May until October, the park plays host to one of the best set of Farmer's Markets in the area. On any given Wednesday or Saturday, the smell of fresh street food and the finest produce or locally crafted foods wafts through the trees. But for now, the blustery wind and splattering rain are holding sway.

The verdigris of old stone, lovingly cut by craftsmen long dead, provides the borders for our wandering.

Soaring towers of glass remind us of the century we inhabit.

An ever so slight adjustment to our gaze allows us to forget.

We harmonize our perception of time to match the creeping ivy and the ageless bricks.

But reality intrudes and we reluctantly depart. Our visit lingers as a fond memory, ere long we return.

Our love for our time together in this place is gravity redefined.