I had a morning eye doctor’s appointment earlier this week. And I had some time to kill before the dilation drops rendered my eyes useless for the rest of the day. After getting off the bus at Washington Street near City Hall, I cut across Montgomery Street while making my way to Presidential Plaza.
St. Paul’s Church. Photo by Francis DiClemente.
Brick wall with ivy. Photo by Francis DiClemente.
Along the way, I snapped a few photos with my antiquated, battery-challenged iPhone 8, jotted down a quick poem about some feathered denizens of the Salt City, and captured a moment of tranquility on a sunny morning downtown.
I felt grateful for the opportunity to capture a myriad of sights and sounds the universe sent my way. It was another reminder to always pay attention to my surroundings and be on the lookout for creative inspiration. Here’s the poem I wrote. It required significant revision as it made the transition from my pocket notebook to my computer.
Bird Chatter
Three pigeons
perched on a wire.
What are they
talking about
on this bright,
sunny morning?
But their conversation
is restricted—not for
human interpretation.
And the chatter ends
when the birds
lift from the wire,
taking off in formation,
flapping their wings,
and sending feathers
twirling to the ground.
Francis DiClemente 
Hi Francis,
Wonderful photos—all three!! In the photo of St. Paul’s Church, the cross on the steeple in the background is especially appealing! And I love the verticality of the ivy and the fence, together, in front of the more horizontal pattern of the brick wall.
The video of the reflected buildings in the puddle reminds me of one of my own of sailboat masts at a marina reflected in the lake. Mesmerizing. Who needs a lava lamp? 😊
And the poem of three pigeons is just the reward needed when we have (and take) the time to pay attention.
Thanks for sharing. And I hope you got good news from the ophthalmologist!
Warmly,
Kathy
Thanks so much for reading and for your kind words, Kathy. I appreciate it. My appointment went well. I hope all is well with you!
I love how you find beauty in the everyday. Thank you for sharing those sights and your poems!
Thank you very much for reading and for the nice comment! I think I just happen to be lucky — being in the right place at the right time when something interesting happens. But awareness is everything! Otherwise, I would miss it.