Inklings 2025

The Bridge of Thoughts Veronica Puig ’28 Driving over the bridge, the cityscape is bright I’m anchored in a sea of stop signs and red lights I could mistake it for New York, Miami has changed overnight It hasn’t waned its faith to its roots but instead proposed an intertwine With the familiar cerulean pool on both my left and right And now skyscrapers that spur surprise in their prime Buildings like sentinels guarding over the special sight The trifecta of the blue expanse, the sunshine, and the boat rides The faint sound of sizzling skin and reggaeton Soundtrack my suspension between the shores I stare till I’m blinded by the golden sphere that glows Nothing will block it from shining; is it ever cold? The proof is below where the sea shows off as liquid glitter Catching the attention of the masses all the way from up here Me to a moment doesn’t mind any longer The agony of slow traffic; I could stay here forever Sipping cafe cubanos for the sake of being on brand Embracing an eternal tan due to my native heat-bearing span A woman screamed in Spanglish, “Pero like drive!” but I can’t She too will immerse herself in the whirlwind of quiet opulence We’ll take our hands off the wheel and begin to admire The serenity of it all at 5:25 in the afternoon And maybe that’s why there’s traffic, in amounts that are excessive An overflow of cars; we’re distracted by the impressive However honking will build up and cut the trance The pedal is holding its breath waiting for my step So I begin to drive but downward ringing the bell “it’s the end” Just that bridge made my thoughts spur, what Miami does best 22