Illustration by Mel Wang
In the language of light
in murmurs of shadow
the leaves and the grasses are talking
as summer rays lance
through a green-glowing apse
the meaning beamed brightly
between twig and blade
yet the breezes of June
blow coldly today
to lighten the wings
of a bird startled skyward
by my lumbering oncoming tread
Eleanor Lin (she/her/hers) is a second-year student in Columbia College studying computer science and linguistics. She can be found on Instagram as @elemlin and on FaceBook as @eleamlin. You can find her other work at linktr.ee/elealin.