I sat back with a breath,
Folding my hands as if
I had just wiped them
And the corners of my
Mouth.

I had resigned. It was
None of my business
Anymore.
I realized how full I felt
With the empty plate
Now before me, waiting
For something new to
Decorate it.
It would be colorful.
New and unexpected,
Alive.

Shadows

Become

So much

Darker

When they

Overlay

Each other

My nose was so close
To the dust.
I could smell the stagnant
Hopes entwined
In the strands of the carpet.
I was worn, lying there,
Thinking someone
Could open the door and just
Walk over me
To fetch a pair of shoes.
But the light sighing under
The door was gentle
And considerate as it lit up
The life in the air.

My fingers began to ache
As they waved—
As if the bones dislocated
From the enthusiasm.

My smile suddenly felt
Small and inconsequential,
Forced as it stretched
My dry skin.

I was swaying back & forth,
Drained by all of this
Social interaction.