.
Metal Petals: a fountainhead on the West Side bikepath near Pier 45, New York City: photo by tauntingpanda (ben britten), 9 February 2005
Thingsmade by iron and handled by steel
are born dead, they are shrouds, they soak life out of us.
Till after a long time, when they are old and have steeped in our life
they begin to be soothed and soothing: then we throw them away.