sitting at an overlook in the flower gardens
\nthat surround the cloisters in upper manhattan,
\nthe silence is only occasionally broken by scraping steps.<\/p>\n
they climb the staircase ahead of me, at right.
\nthey make a single circuit of the low, stone, perimeter wall \u2013
\ngiving me a wide berth \u2013 and descend the staircase once more.<\/p>\n
often they pause once or twice,
\ntaking a moment to photograph the land and water spread below them:
\nthe land bordered at its every edge by sprawling tall city buildings.<\/p>\n
a young couple ascends the staircase into the bright sunlight.
\nstepping onto the broad flagstone expanse,
\nthe young woman tells a story to the young man.<\/p>\n
as they make their circuit, she tells him of her dumb friend
\nwho had been trying to relate a complicated concept to her:
\na concept that she smirkingly implies her complete understanding of.<\/p>\n
she explains the enjoyment she found
\nat hearing her friend\u2019s clumsy explanation of the subject.
\nthey titter together as they descend once more into darkness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
sitting at an overlook in the flower gardens that surround the cloisters in upper manhattan, the silence is only occasionally broken by scraping steps. they climb the staircase ahead of me, at right. they make a single circuit of the low, stone, perimeter wall \u2013 giving me a wide berth \u2013 and descend the staircase … <\/p>\n