imagine all those people

walking the streets this afternoon
enjoying what incredible weather we've had
i stopped into a bookstore near 68th and Lexington

peaceful it seemed, like most bookstores do
with ingeniously designed hardcovers staring back at me
just begging to be bought

luckily, my better judgment responded
"NO"
"you have enough books already"
and with this minor inner-conflict resolved
i continued along my way on the casual browse for a collection by e.e. cummings

it wasn't long however
before i noticed an embarrassingly huge line winding across the entire length of the bookstore
down a staircase
and god knows where else

back to school
hunter college student textbook day

"do i need to wait in that line?"
i asked
on the off-chance i found something to buy
"only if you're purchasing any of the reserved or class assigned items from downstairs"
i was told in response

back to school
a foreign concept in more ways than one
the chaos of that line brought me to the realization
of just how much my life had changed

the excitements
the fears
the pressures
and
the possibilities

are still out there
a diploma on the wall is not a death sentence

the world only gets larger