Driving down a busy street, I noticed a woman standing near the curb,
still as stone with her feet buried in snow, standing in the bitter cold.
I sped past her, keeping up with traffic, but watched her in the rear view mirror.
She didn’t budge. Was she even real?
I veered onto a side street and made my way back to her,
pulling up to the curb where she stood.
She was a beautifully carved wooden statue, wrapped in a heavy sweater shawl
that someone must have given her to fend off winter’s chill.
She had such a haunting presence;
stoic and mysterious, somber and lovely, tired but strong.
I find myself circling blocks all the time
to get another look at sights that lift my spirit or pique my interest.
She practically called out from the side of the road and I just had to turn back,
let her know she’d been seen.
When you hear that kind of whisper, do you listen?
When curiosity tugs at you, do you turn around?
When beauty calls your name, do you answer?
She’s hoping your answer’s a resounding yes.
