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.