She ran wild in
open spaces dangerous
curious kenneled
in the cool of night and
heat of day physically
spent, did she find a
moment of rest?
unkenneled, She ran in
recognition of face and
voice urgent, needful
Birdie! BIRDIE!!
then roamed again
as if she had not seen
enough everything and
knew what my presence meant
once home She slept
pressed firm against
my side moving
room to room
eyes on me always
all night She slept
our morning walk slow
with glances occasional
Travel and time changes left me with no sleep and a body that moved with little to no conscious effort. It knew the list of things my mind had laid out.
Waiting in line for a train ticket home, I tried to function appropriately. Peripherally, I saw a slight man hobble, one person to the next, speaking low, one hand grasping the support he needed to walk and the other motioning to his mouth, a universal language for eat, food, hungry.
Without thought I mimicked others with a shake of my head.
“Não Portuguese…” I stumbled to say, brain processing slow.
He moved on as my mind processed my actions and my hand dug into a small pocket past a single paper and into the coolness of metal.
I motioned him back. Holding his outstretched palm, I deposited the five or eight euros.
What was that amount to me? My next week’s groceries is his meal today.
my superpower is invisibility
in any proximity in any
conversation group or even
one-on-one; I say a thing any
thing and I am wrong even
when I am right and when
discovered I am right, the thing
I said becomes that other!s
thought idea solution
they move forward while
I watch, a mouse along the wall
“I am Superman and I can do anything…” ~ I am Superman, The Clique
too oft I ponder
a thing without
remorse anger jealousy
always I wonder
a thing without
answer solution resolution
it’s too late to ask why so
saudade sets in the periphery
thrumming
sorrow sits heavy in
my eyes when
you are not looking in
my chest when
I watch you breathing
heavy in sleep