I used to cry a lot,

the tears readily

descending my cheeks.

If I let myself go

the sobbing was

rather spectacular,

to tell a tale.

When I was alone,

I would stare out windows

count the slats

in my blinds,

waiting for the sunlight,

and then watching the light

descend into another night,

while the tears might remain.

While alone

my mind would stir,

I’d imagine all those scary

things that haunt our mind,

when left alone,

our own devices,

no longer working

in the manner we might wish.

When traveling alone

I remember seeing the world

with my eyes

naked to the world around me.

I would have to stand up

without assistance,

make sure no one around

saw my life unsteady.

Instead I would wish

the many faces nearby

would see a man

with a settled heart

and a yearning soul.