Shanghai

12 June 2016

The rain in a big city can teach you many things. It is rainy season here now and almost every week it rains. The city shines in this weather, the lights which are already so many, double, triple, there’s lights everywhere. In the evening the city is on fire. And the sound. The city sounds full of water. Things are leaking, dripping, the cars on the road run on wet streets. The river too turns full of light and colour, it moves more thickly, alive almost. The boats seem to wobble. The tops of buildings are hidden in clouds.

And I? I stand at my window, watch heaven. Unravel. Turn to water. Fall. Taste the city upon my tongue. I stand at my window. Listen. My heart drumming in my chest. Grateful. Fearful. These past few months in this strange city have unravelled me, turned me to water.

Quiet.

One must listen quietly to all the wonderful things in the world. One must melt like water in a river. Find light at the edges. Move like fear is nothing. Spread out one’s arm in dance. Breathe.