Snapshot of Time

matcha tea –

wisps of steam,

rising

higher

and

higher

like dreams reaching for the sky

or are they really just

wishes searching for escape?

sunlight and shadows, drawn on the navy carpet

fresh breeze drifting through the window

morning calmness, a new tranquil

the methodic tick-tock of the clock

crêpe cake leftovers from the café in town

dusted with chocolate, mildly sweet

topped with a single ripe strawberry

and bursting with the sweet taste 

of summertime memories

filled with carefree laughter

midnight flights at the airport

hours spent people-watching

as the waves of strangers

come and go

like ocean tides,

rising and falling

in time

with a universal heartbeat

what stories do they have,

what lives do they lead;

where do they come from,

and where are they going

what role will you play,

in this fleeting moment

of two fates intertwining,

their destinies unbeknownst

until the end of time?

Alice He

(she / her)