The Endocrinologist

endocrinology is my field
he said significantly
politeness dictated I look up
into his proud face

Oh? I mouthed faintly
fearing elaboration
But Oh? was all he needed
he began his speech as if by rote
the words disintegrating
into the dullest endocrinal
esoterica imaginable

it had an unexpected
anesthetic effect
I touched the cold window
of the train with my forehead
and watched the geometry
of the world hurl by
glimpsed through the surreal
blizzard while his voice
droned and chanted
like a devoted monk

the snowflakes multiplied
glutting the pane with ice
and in a moment's distraction
I was struck
with an astounding vision:

each tiny drifting crystal
seemed an intricate
all-encompassing paradigm
of all of nature
perfect even in its certain
imperfection
and all of nature
all the universe seemed
an intricately woven cloak
shrouding a beckoning light

the endocrinologist's
reflection emerged
from the window
and my eyes filled with tears
as I realized what had spawned
with such intensity
the secret blueprint of reality:

it was the babbling endocrinologist
and his empty mindless speech
it had somehow awoken me
to the infinite levels of meaning
embedded in our journey
alone together
the train ripping through
the chaos of crystals
towards the certainty
of an endless destination