Graduation Tassel in Predawn Firelight

A black graduation cap tassel hangs limp from a rusted metal window latch, its gold thread catching the flicker of nearby firelight against the predawn darkness. The brass tassel head rests heavily, pulling the threads downward in a still, vertical line. Outside the frame, rainwater darkens the campus paths, visible only as a damp sheen on the stone ledge beneath the window. Folding chairs sit empty on the lawn beyond, their fabric shadows stretching into the early autumn gloom. The metal latch shows signs of wear, its surface pitted and gray under the warm glow. One gold thread catches the light, hanging just above the wet, dark stone edge.