"In my grandmother's house,
this photograph of an old New Orleans staircase
was displayed near the elegant curving stairway
that she had designed.

Their proximity left me thinking that
she'd copied this romantic image,
complete with its curves and niche.
But, in truth, I don't know which
came first; the picture or her design."

zipper

 new orleans, stair, niche
homebackahead old staircase, toulouse street
 photo © 1996 the archive of light