The Architecture of a Meeting

The screen glows blue on the wall,

slides flickering like a firefly at dusk

as words wash up and down the table.

The long rectangular piece of polished

wood is holding up stalagmites of glasses,

Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke,

half-eaten cookies on black plastic plates,

a bowl of peppermints, some opened

with empty wrappers scattered

around the speaker phone, offerings

at the altar of communication, random

power strips and extension cords

the detritus of lengthening hours,

with cell phones placed strategically

for easy reach: we are all packing heat.

The words swirl around this architecture,

dancing lightly on each prop and artifact

lingering on the remains of a formal agenda.

A wall of windows frames miniature trees

in the garden outside, the panes of separation.

Sculpted pines stand guardian in the wind,

casting growing shadows on the easel filled

with bullet points and brainstormed words.

A squirrel pauses, then darts into a bush.

This poem is submitted for Open Link Night at dVerse Poets. To see more poems, please visit the site. The links will be live at 2 p.m. Central time today.