balloon

pop pop pop

fireworks crackle

in the night

…

when we enter

new spaces

we automatically

begin exploring

and expanding

our limits

until we pop

chess

green park

a pawn rolls off

the rusted table

…

it’s not the first move

that makes or breaks

our game plan

but how we react

to the second, third, etc.

that will decide

the outcome

SOS

evening fog

strolling figures

cross the street

…

transmitting this

unbroken sequence

three dots

three bullets

three dots

in a crisis may

be our best bet

paradise

packed in bulk

pickled cucumbers

await new hands

…

in the end

when all the

free samples

great deals

and lights fade away

we end up buying more

than we anticipated

default

blue and green

expanding bubbles

light up my phone

…

some of our

most habitual

rituals and routines

come without

any second thoughts

because we choose comfort

and the status quo

ostrich

dry savanna

the ostrich stretches

it’s legs once more

…

burying our heads

into the sand

doesn’t mean

we are hiding

because we are afraid

is the common myth

we seek to dispel

pat pat

steady the reigns

horses walk along

the mountainside

…

it’s time we start

recognizing the good

we have done

over the years

instead of lingering

onto the bad and ugly

parts of our memories

lobby

midnight diners

leaving the street

entering the bar

…

the more we

end up waiting

for things to happen

on their own

the more we

find ourselves waiting

in the lobby

vuja de

worn baseball hats

flipped inside out

show new life

…

sometimes we don’t

need to reinvent

a system or routine

to make a difference,

we just need to reimagine

what is possible

with what we have

teddy bear

brown fur coat

grandmother’s perfume

lingers on my shoulders

…

cuddly and warm

fuzzy and fun

are the things

we associate

to familiar objects

that made up

our childhood

it's a trap

molted feathers

are all that is left

on the glue trap

…

all in all

sticky traps

don’t discriminate

between what they

intend to catch

and what they actually

end up capturing

cup

water glass

half full

half empty

…

when we empty

our glasses

a void appears

making it only natural

we look for new things

interests and hobbies

to fill our time with

medals

gold silver bronze

the medals rest

on rugged ground

…

how can we celebrate

our successes

while at the same time

uplift those who

fall short of the mark

in the revolving arena

of competition?

rain

rusted hinges

the fence door

waves goodbye

…

doesn’t discriminate

who and what it falls on

nor does it choose

when or where

we will witness

another shower

to remember

serpentine

ten minutes pass

smartphones chatter

waiting in line

…

checking into a store

restaurant or hotel

doesn’t take

too much effort

but recognizing

our emotions

is another story

wrappers

sticky fingers

red, yellow, orange, pink

on the wrapper

…

opening a bag

of our favorite candy

and scattering it’s contents

across the table

shows a colorful clash

of a product that’s been

overproduced and overdesigned

for kids

remote controller

low battery signals

the last red flash

…

if we take into consideration

how things are made

for a certain channel

for a particular purpose

for a special someone

we can observe

the impact made

captions

laptop display

a familiar sound

fills the room

…

transcribing foreign spoken words

into comprehensive written script

allows us to focus on

reading and internalizing

the overall message

and at the same time

humbles our egos

labels

cotton tags

sticking together

on the rack

…

nutrition facts

clothing brands

file folders and

personalized items

categorizing and grouping

encourages association

but also assumptions

porridge

chunks of oats

swirling around berries

in a milky sea

…

chewing food

to the consistency

of porridge

provides a lesson

in finely dividing

and managing tasks

before swallowing outcomes