Terrazo

flooring, though manmade,

attempts to replicate nature,

the complexity of aged stone,

an indelible strength built

into the heart of it that seems

like virtue when it will be

struck by many feet, a nd

from which one can easily

clear away the debris that

brushes with humanity

will inevitably bring.

 

Myriad bits of mosaic fall

into random patterns, make

a tough support from within

its once-molten core under

years of traffic and toil, also

the wear and tear of going

unnoticed while a workhorse

underfoot.

 

At its heart, lowly terrazo is

relegated by society to an

imagined imitation of the real

thing.  Lost is any singularity,

originality, or even creativity

(and concomitant appreciation)

when indestructibleness is

the only desired result.

 

first published in Illinois State Poetry Society