i.
often, while sitting above,
hands tucked under knees
legs held close,
look through the glass
down
at the people,
imbroglio.
No one looks up, to see
me.
I cling to the banister
and think of that
would make them see.
we.
always sit there
on top of the stairs
a place where I can
see the people.
We talk and laugh and
a part of me, I
stand up
and my hands hold the banister
hold my body, lift my body
my legs step on to the ledge
my body straightens,
extends.
We turn
they all turn
I wonder how I balance.
me.
hands damp,
head light,
heart rapid,
legs weak,
how can I balance.
Palms facing down
arms spread
Imagine a city, such as Tokyo or Taipei, in Asia. You see tall apartments, narrow streets, diverse edifice uses and a well-developed transit system. Picture a city, such as Madrid or Stockholm, in Europe and you will see similar characteristics. Then turn and observe a regular North American city. You see not tall apartments, but low and spread out dwellings with large backyards; not narrow streets but wide boulevards and multilane highways; not diverse range of land use but, separated, the suburbs, the commercial areas and the industrial areas; and not wide-use of transit systems, but great dependency on automobiles. Asia and Europe togethe
Such an idea raised many controversies initially. Afterwards, people just thought it was quite logical and predictable, what the human race in the past had done. Documents of famine, war and disasters were plenty upon the timeline and in the history textbooks. The population should not have been shocked at the newest discovery, another chapter to add to the volumes of collections solely on the topic of human mistakes. We should study this topic carefully; it is quite remarkable. One could say that it was the most devastating mistake humankind had created. We will be sure to record it and warn others of such an error. It should never happen a
i.
often, while sitting above,
hands tucked under knees
legs held close,
look through the glass
down
at the people,
imbroglio.
No one looks up, to see
me.
I cling to the banister
and think of that
would make them see.
we.
always sit there
on top of the stairs
a place where I can
see the people.
We talk and laugh and
a part of me, I
stand up
and my hands hold the banister
hold my body, lift my body
my legs step on to the ledge
my body straightens,
extends.
We turn
they all turn
I wonder how I balance.
me.
hands damp,
head light,
heart rapid,
legs weak,
how can I balance.
Palms facing down
arms spread
Imagine a city, such as Tokyo or Taipei, in Asia. You see tall apartments, narrow streets, diverse edifice uses and a well-developed transit system. Picture a city, such as Madrid or Stockholm, in Europe and you will see similar characteristics. Then turn and observe a regular North American city. You see not tall apartments, but low and spread out dwellings with large backyards; not narrow streets but wide boulevards and multilane highways; not diverse range of land use but, separated, the suburbs, the commercial areas and the industrial areas; and not wide-use of transit systems, but great dependency on automobiles. Asia and Europe togethe
Such an idea raised many controversies initially. Afterwards, people just thought it was quite logical and predictable, what the human race in the past had done. Documents of famine, war and disasters were plenty upon the timeline and in the history textbooks. The population should not have been shocked at the newest discovery, another chapter to add to the volumes of collections solely on the topic of human mistakes. We should study this topic carefully; it is quite remarkable. One could say that it was the most devastating mistake humankind had created. We will be sure to record it and warn others of such an error. It should never happen a