Clear Ring

Took the sidewalk down toward the river trail to get some distance from the house. At the base of the pedestrian bridge, a heavy cast-iron builder’s plate was riveted to the lower arch support, its raised block letters crusted with trail dust. A hard, dried sycamore seed pod had jammed tight behind the bottom flange, packing damp river silt against the seam. I braced my boots against the concrete abutment, hooked my fingers around the pod's fibrous stem, and hauled it free with one clean pull. I rapped the oval casting with the knuckle of my thumb. The dull thud gave way to a sharp, sustained ring over the water. Solid iron.