Lucky

I find love to be deeply connected to knowledge and as my familiarity, intimacy with this city increase so to do the pleasure and affection I feel traversing it. Biking, lately, has taken me into a state that is hard to describe. It is close to exaltation; an intense pleasure in the moment, an overwhelming sense of love and gratitude and humility. Some piercing quality of the light, clouds spattered and dappled across the horizon, some absurdly beautiful arrangement of concrete and power lines and weeds, a fine proud riot of flowers; it is almost too much to bear, it takes my breath away, it fills me with joy. Saturday night I headed home along Esplanade, past the neon glow of convenience stores and the deco curves of trumpet trees, and came face to face with a fat orange half moon hanging low over Bayou St. John; I laughed as though recognizing a friend.