The Emotional Orphan

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There is an elevator in an apartment building
of an architectural style I am drawn to.
Older, wiser, utilitarian yet beautiful.
It isn’t all flash and glass,
or a modern monstrosity designed for efficiency.
Not built with cheap foreign labor, cheap foreign parts.
Delivered on a plane via bar code and not a rail car and a bill of fare .
Not thrown together as quickly as possible
to get bonuses for beating deadlines.

It is an elevator inside a piece of art. Built by artisans.
Meant to last forever, meeting the needs of its residents,
with grace, beauty, honesty and character.
It has personality, and tells a story with griffons and gargoyles.
At its peak is a small garden, and a fountain, guarded on four sides
by the watchful eyes on the head of a brass falcon,
just beyond the barbed wire fence installed after the jumper in 1965.
The warm rays of a mahogany half sun welcome you
from the archway above the only elevator in the building.

As I sit in that rooftop garden smoking, throwing popcorn
at the pigeons long since un-threatened by the brass falcon,
I became aware-as I do about many things or people- of the shortcomings.
The laundry, and trash chutes abandoned in favor of plastic bags
and additional water connections.
An entrance buzzer because brass falcons, griffons and gargoyles
do not make you and I feel secure.
The aforementioned anti suicide chain link, which offers no real comfort.
The jumper.
And of course, the elevator. A marvel in its day,
still needing an operator to lift us to new heights.
Someone trustworthy and necessary for the successful operation.
A professional at getting us where we need to be.

I chuckle at how Life imitates Art, and how Art imitates Life.
How I, the older, wiser, utilitarian, though a marvel,
not thrown together as quickly as possible,
in order to make a lasting impression or
help others not need brass falcons, griffons and gargoyles-
How I still need an operator with grace, beauty, honesty and integrity
to lift me to new heights.
Someone trustworthy and necessary for successful, happy living.
A professional at getting us where we need to be.

And I silently thank God for you being that and so much more for me.

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