Poetic Sketch
by Marie Bortolotto

while at the park
my mind wanders
finding refuge in the moment
I close my eyes and listen --
to what?

bird calls
construction
dogs barking
wind blowing
traffic noise
footsteps
airplanes
motorcycles
garbage trucks
human voices
squirrels
car horns
cell phones
leaf blowers
bicycles
children's laughter
my breath,
my heartbeat

and in between all of these --

SILENCE