I’m proud of my soon-to-be college graduate son, Spencer. He’s doing a great job navigating this odd spring of 2020. He’s currently living alone in his apartment finishing up his last semester at George Washington University without roomates, without celebration, his graduation ceremony cancelled. He’s travelled the globe these past four years as an International Business major and will be graduating summa cum laude. He’s passionate about philosophy (his minor), music and film. I think he’s a wonderful writer too. Here are his images and reflections from the past two months in Washington DC.
**The featured image above is the Washington Monument taken from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Its usually packed with people. Below is outside Whole Foods on GWU campus — in the distance you can see the arch of the Foggy Bottom metro station.
Days Days, Days like today Where time slips like coins Through cracks in the hours. Ten minutes here, five there. Never the hours, No such thing as a sixty-cent coin. No, It’s nickels, dimes, quarters through a hole In an old wooden porch. Peeling white paint and rusted nails Too vivid for days like today. There goes another Little silver sliver, I thought I was saving it for something. Days, Days like yesterday Where it all makes sense. A train on the tracks, Going somewhere nice. Hills roll by, Overgrown with the smell of summer. Yeah, Slowly pacing- chugging along. And you, shoveling coal-- Firing the engine. Getting where you’re going. It makes it easier, As it pieces together, You roll along on your little adventure. Days, Who knows what the day is tomorrow. Coins through porches or coals in trains? Maybe both, maybe neither. Maybe the time won’t be fumbled. Maybe not thrown to embers. Maybe it won’t go anywhere at all. Sitting in a field. The day will be that: Shining sun, Green grass, and a breezy wind. The day won’t have to be anything, Except an old quilt and a turkey sandwich. Ah, Days like tomorrow. 2/21/20Attention Due to recent Coronavirus related worries Your ambitions have been cancelled. Please note, This is a difficult situation And the nervous center Of your brain Finds it hard to make this decision. The administration believes That due to the lack of restaurants Open, The absence of friends Around, The majority of rent Due, That it is totally ok To just give up, For like a few days. We have laid out Guidelines as follows For acceptable behavior During the course Of this banal and slow Moving car crash: Sleeping until two is encouraged, As is staying up until three. Almost doing the dishes But then sitting down and Inevitably staying there for hours Instead is recommended. Wandering aimlessly throughout The rooms in your house. Frequent and pointless facetimes, Fun tip: this can be combined with any Of the previous tips. Ordering too much food In other words, Do what you normally do, But feel more trapped doing it. Thank you, And we hope you have A hazy and timeless day. 03/23/20
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Your Hand-Held Hourglass Today, Time goes Nowhere. Moments are grains Piled in the palm. The wind Will blow away Your hand-held hourglass. 04.03.20![]()
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These last two photos are of the main square in the heart of GWU campus, and a street off Du Pont circle.
Poetry and photography by Spencer W. Bracey
Spencer and his friend Max at the Great Wall of China, BC (before Corona).