The Invention of Glass
Nov 21 2014


The bay window, behind the kitchen sink
frames a rugged landscape
I never tire of seeing,
grass, and rock, and trees
dusted with snow.

On the cusp of fall

dense arctic air
has settled over the world,
holding my small tableau

perfectly still,
as artfully composed
as a snow globe
at rest.

After dark, I watch myself
in its phantasmagorical mirror,
doing dishes
in my cozy kitchen
standing by the sink.

Before the image
disappears in steam.

The invention of glass
is one of those small wonders

that would seem miraculous
were it absent from our lives.
Takes sand
and makes it clear.
Looks out
as well as back.
Is strong enough
to wall off winter

from my brightly lit kitchen,
where dinner
simmers on the stove.

Except for the tumbler

that slipped from my grasp,
shattered in a million bits.