Pulling His Coat Tighter

It doesn’t matter much
what comes out, what doesn’t.
All you need to know
is that the facts are there
if you know where to look.
You can ask all you want
but the most you get will be silence.
He will pull his coat a little closer
and tighter around his collar. He
protects himself against the anticipated
shivering and wonders if he will ever
get back home. The bird left his arm
where it had been perched
and did not return; the fish
left their worrying of the hook
he’d put in the water
and did not return; all around
were animals and they left him
strictly alone. He is a man,
no matter his pattern, no matter
his alienation from the same;
he’s going through it all
as all men do. All you need to know
is that the facts are there
if you know where to look.
It doesn’t matter much
what comes out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T