One person
Dares to
Speak up.
Another takes
Notice and
Joins in.
A movement
Coalesces and
Gains momentum.
A union of
Voices spreading
A message of hope.
They move
Forward with
Purpose and determination.
Their actions
Change
The world.
Many years passed and
There arose the dismaying
Realization that they
Had never reflected on
Anything, reconsidered
Their actions, grown
In any way, understood
The implications of
What they did; if anything,
It had become worse,
Setting the stage for
Chronic stuntedness.
Meeting at a business mixer,
Exchanging half smiles,
Striking up a conversation
About a mutually shared
Interest, profession.
After only a few sentences,
The insecurity kicks in,
Denigrating what the other does
To make oneself feel better,
More important.
Cycle of pathetic competition,
Broken people stepping on
Each others’ heads to
Continue avoiding
Looking inward.
Each day he visits
The same store,
Hoping she’ll be there
So they might share
Some small talk about
The weather or what’s
Going on around town.
It’s been like this
For almost a year,
Smiles and pleasantries
Exchanged briefly.
I keep wishing he
Would keep his beliefs
To himself, but he
Confidently opens and
Closes his mouth without
Ever a second thought,
Making sure everyone
Knows exactly what he
Deems to be true,
Consistently demonstrating
How little he comprehends,
One person too many
In an elevator.
So we start the same
Way we always have,
Following some kind of
Haphazard script
Severely limiting what
Can be said, adhering
To arbitrary rules
Imposed by fear and
Secrecy, meant to
Discourage any meaningful
Conversation or resolution.
Seeing an old photo,
Remembering what it felt
Like to exist then,
The relentless
Inner bewilderment,
Ruthless untruths
Forcing me to be
Someone else,
Voices other than mine.
They spend a few
Brief minutes together,
Talking about the weather.
Neither utters the
Words waiting to be said,
Depth being difficult.
Vulnerability avoided
One more time in the
Name of nothing rational.
They say goodbye,
It could easily have been
So very different.
They tried to have a
Conversation but it never
Quite seemed to work,
Almost as if they came
From different countries
Or spoke languages the
Other couldn’t understand.
So, they kept it light,
Superficial, avoiding the
Bumps and anything that
Might resemble something
More meaningful.
