Ripples in the Lamplight

I climbed onto the nightstand, where a heavy faceted tumbler of water caught the warm beam of the lamp. The thick glass cast ribbed bands of caustic light across the dark tabletop, resembling shallow tide pools over sand. I paused at the edge of the glow, studying the stillness before stepping closer. Resting both hands against the cool base, I gave the glass a gentle, deliberate nudge. Fine concentric rings drifted across the water's surface, sending pulsing arches of light rolling outward across the wood grain. I sat down on a folded linen cloth nearby, quietly watching until the last tremor settled back to glass.