by Fiona Tinwei Lam
For Elise Partridge
“Just suppose that a great fog were to fall over the earth and all we could see of people would be their feet. What would happen?” –Torrence Test of Creativity
Each home beacons with its own Fresnel flash
as dogs and joggers jingle past.
Strollers tinkle tunes while bicycles strum.
Pedestrians saunter with a whistle or hum.
Some shuffle past with glimmering canes
or clack by on taps on neon-lined lanes.
Scarves, tuques, armbands phosphorescent,
necklaces, bracelets, anklets incandescent–
Will everyone indulge
in the effulgent?
Electricity bills zoom through the roof.
Rents plummet: no room has a view.
Everyone sports signature shoes.
— from Juniper Volume 4, Issue 3