A MINOR ECLIPSE OF LESS RENOWN
loosely defined, an eclipse is the obscuring of a light source (or its resulting shadow) relative to an observer at point 2 or 3 in a 1-2-3 sequence, where the source of light is point 1. the moon, the sun & the earth make headlines.
commercial jetplanes dice through the upper troposphere. wide-eyed heads rest against the circular windows, spiced w/just a little frost. below, the wave patterns of the ocean are easy to understand. there, in the middle, is a shadow in the shape of a plane… flattened against the surface of the planet like a child’s drawing. a short-lived minor eclipse for any surfacing whales or whaling ships.
a nuclear family eats dinner in the living room, centered on a television set. father hasn’t yet upgraded to digital cable or flat-screen royalty. mother is asking if anyone wants seconds. sister is feeding her cold peas to the dog (the microwave isn’t perfect, after all). brother is burning the whites of his eyes, standing too close to the screen, a partial eclipse for three annoyed onlookers & one oblivious canine.
shadow puppet, controlled eclipse. wilma props up a beach umbrella in july. two teenagers lower the shades in a car pointed at the sunset. a bored, shaggy-haired firstgrader daydreams during recess. i throw a blanket over the laptop & leave the apartment…
