yesterday a friend came to see me
and I sat like a sword in a stone all day,
waiting for someone to pull me out
and set me to talking as I always have done
but I did not.

instead I just sat there
like a bump on a frog all day,
looking natural (I hope) but secretly
croaking out a screaming plea for someone
to include me in but he did not.

instead I sat there like an ice cube
in some generic glass of whiskey on a standard bar,
slowly dissolving but keeping very still
while the laughter and the talk stayed
going and going until I heaved myself up
from my chair and ran away silently

with only small purposes: pet the cat,
bow my head, be elsewhere, wonder how long
it will be before I can go to sleep.

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