“Cabrini Bridge” by Sam Gordon uses beautiful imagery to showcase the power of mindfulness and relaxation. The author’s internal struggles are juxtaposed with the calmness that surrounds him, and he focuses on describing the moment instead of ruminating on his troubles.

The bayou sits mild beneath a purpling sky.
Waves lift and collide, a constant combining
of collapse maneuvering into stillness.

I come here to rest. On the bridge I slide
between rusting steel triangles, lowering
onto a pier where my feet can dangle.

I inhale deeply. Nothing pressing, for once,
but a current of questions about possible futures
makes headway into headspace otherwise calm.

Balloons hold more pressure on the inside than out.
That’s how they expand. If not for the trials
we allow ourselves, we become flat plastic.

I realize now I’ve gone weeks without really breathing.
I have again nudged peace from its quivering peak.
That’s why the bridge, why the bayou at daybreak.

I want to be on the edge of something that won’t ruin me.

You can read more of Sam Gordon’s work here: http://samdigspoems.tumblr.com/