The Weirdness
The silence
we are stewing in
is acknowledgment
of the awkwardness
between us.
Buried in books and journals,
this one included,
we hide
protecting ourselves
from each others stares.
And we are all looking
and catching glances,
knowing half-smiles,
uncomfortable word exchanges,
and pain
overflowing this corner
of this coffee shop.
This is effort,
a worthwhile attempt
at reconciliation and growth.
But difficult.
Too soon?
In vain?
Will we be laughing about this
next week?
next month?
next year?
never?
We all showed up in body,
but left our hearts in the car
with the empty soda bottles.
This has been a weird group of individuals
always unafraid
to acknowledge weirdness
when it's so apparent,
but tonight,
to verbally speak to the weird,
is to touch a fresh wound
from which we are all still reeling.
This awkwardness
has to be experienced
for whatever lies beyond.
These words
have to be written
for whatever lies beyond.
January 22, 2006