Street

 Between two worlds sits a street

A lively road cutting through parallel sides

One side lays the marbled paths with its grand arches and lampposts of light

The other provides a broken concrete path, embittered by its cracks and illuminated by the embers of dying cigarettes

The renewed white plaster of the foreboding walls confronts the chipping paint from a forgotten era

Time passes differently for the two sides

Waving flags greet the dirty laundry; the rich wares worth a month’s pay seem so out of place with the used paper sold for a day's meal

Loud noises of ‘kopis!’ in the crowded queues, drowned out by the stirring of arabica amidst the fine china

The dazzling ballrooms beckon for a dance, the gardens a quiet respite from the city’s bustle

Perhaps one day I can see past the glorious facade and comprehend them for the mere buildings that they are

But today, I choose to cross the street

An old piece from 2021