Cambridge

Four-thirty.
Darkness steals quietly
over Cambridge like a thick
wool blanket, muffling
sound and thought. All is still
and silent; I am still and silent
and alone. Then the illusion fades;
my senses blur into the lights
of traffic, the bustle of store-owners
making one last deal before heading home.
I shake my head, and smile.

And you, my friend--
What is making you smile?

I am a stranger here, transitory
though not unwanted. The streets of
Cambridge draw me in, friendly despite
the ever-present cold. Long walks and
hot coffee. I meet people and
wonder if one short year together
can change their lives, or mine. I dig,
quickly, but not too deep.

And you, my friend--
Do you know what you are seeking?

Days pass. Four o'clock.
Darkness steals quietly
over Cambridge, bringing
with it the winter's chill.
I walk quickly, thick woolen
gloves in pockets, searching,
thinking. I see familiar faces and
smile: Cambridge welcomes me home.

And you, my friend--
Have you found your home?

I am a student here, an acolyte in the
pursuit of knowledge. The library stretches
before me, and I lose myself in its
winding maze. Like Faust, I aim to understand
the deepest secrets of creation.
But I am my own devil, my own
torment, as I race onward.
When I find what I am seeking, it will
prove my greatest moment and my undoing.

And you, my friend--
Have you found it? Have you found yourself?

Days pass. Eight o'clock.
The sun sets quietly
over Cambridge, a perfect end
to a lovely spring day. I race onward,
sometimes up hills too steep to climb.
Wild nights, and crazy stories. Some of
them are even true.

And you, my friend--
Do you have stories to tell?

Four-thirty.
Darkness steals quietly
over Cambridge, muffling sound
and thought. I seek, still, and sometimes
find. I wander around Cambridge for the last
time, savoring the past and anticipating the
future. I have not found the secrets of the
universe, or even myself. But I tell stories,
and smile.

And you, my friend-- tell me your stories!

We have many stories to tell, my friend,
And many stories left to write.

- DBN

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