Crosswalks & Bicycles

I.

Heading down the sidewalk,

  avoiding eye contact.

Were we always this anti-social?

At one point, we

crowded around a fire pit,

roasting flesh

and telling stories

that got tweaked, changed, elaborated

as they passed through the generations,

like the game called telephone

we played in kindergarten

and at church camp.

whisper,whisper,whisper.

What did you say?

Please, repeat it.

Now, I can’t even look at you

as you pass me by.

We both have headphones in our

   ears, and I don’t know if I

could be brave enough to tell you

you dropped a piece of paper

from your backpack.

The piece of paper that’s now

frolicking in the wind,

too late is all it is.

 

II.

Heading down the sidewalk,

  you and your group of

friends are at a standstill.

            Eyes meet momentarily.

Don’t worry; I see you.

You don’t have to do

            anything more than

exist.

   I will see.

Still, you grab your bicycle

handles and swing a

leg over, pouncing on the

seat like a lion cub.

            Yes, I notice your

agility.

      But you didn’t have to do it.

You don’t have to prove

      yourself to me.

You don’t have to

      jump buses and

            test fire.

Nothing else is required,

            besides you existing.

 

III.

Heading down the sidewalk,

   most of my thoughts

are unsuitable for paper.

 

Boots tapping metronomically,

and now I have invented words.

(Words,words,words.)

See, there is no

            conclusion in wandering.

I haven’t changed anything,

touched anyone in years,

kissed since the fourth grade.

If I wanted to reach out and

hold your hand,

            as you amble toward purpose,

would you pause for a minute

with me? Just so I could, please, please, just

hold your hand.

 

You would probably

flinch, pull away

immediately.

Think I’m ugly.

Or crazy.

You wouldn’t know what to do,

            because gesture is dead

in a world with so much gesture.

 

But, if you stick our eyes in the

   sun, we’re all a little bit beautiful.

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[Glen's not so clean sla..]

Enjoyed this quite a bit thanks. Feel free to check out my work on a somewhat related topic 'Jillian'.