By: Claire Kim

Saturday evening, wearing jean shorts and a blue T-shirt with flip flops

Sun shining on my face, hair sticking to my neck

As I walked through a crowded water fountain in the middle of the park,

I felt humid claiming up from my feet, although it was a cooling sensation

A group of adults laugh and chat “for years on end”

But I hear a loud, youthful melody coming from another crowd farther away

Kids and their parents line up for ice cream cones of different flavors

A man in a neon pink truck sweats in the enclosed space

While he bends down and hands an dripping, chocolate ice cream cone to a little boy

Wry face, an old man sits on a bench stationary like a rock beside the fountain

Getting irritated by kids splashing sparkly, cold water at each other

A tree bends over the bench and casts dark shadows on the ground

Teenagers stand beneath the colossal branch with phones, their best friends

They are wearing blank faces for one minute, giggling afterward

I found my space

An empty space next to a stone horse statue covered by vines

And sat down, unfolding a mat,

Placing red strawberries and apples onto the plaid blanket

I lie down, calmly viewing “the slow dance of clouds and butterflies” under the bright sky

I recall the vision of this diverse neighborhood

And smiled under the shining sun