The Characteristics of Glass
When you toss a pane of glass
onto a slab of concrete
it will shatter and the sound of its demise
it will shatter and the sound of its demise
will be loud, chaotic,
and it will disturb the neighbors.
Standard glass does not go quietly
and when it breaks
it is obvious that it is glass.
Standard glass does not go quietly
and when it breaks
it is obvious that it is glass.
When you toss a pane of tempered glass
onto a slab of concrete
it barely makes a sound at all.
It whispers and cracks
like water freezing
and the only appreciable resonance is that eerie
SHHHHHHHHH
(like a brush on a cymbal)
like water freezing
and the only appreciable resonance is that eerie
SHHHHHHHHH
(like a brush on a cymbal)
as it fractures back
into a million chips of
dry, soft crystal.
When tempered glass dies
it acts
as if
it was
never glass
to begin with.
into a million chips of
dry, soft crystal.
When tempered glass dies
it acts
as if
it was
never glass
to begin with.