note: in class, we were told to sit in public for at least 10-15 minutes and chose one or two people to pay attention or hone in on. you know, like people watching? obviously, she made it clear that we weren’t allowed to break the law or be creepy, but we could take notes and make up a story, to use our surroundings as inspiration. we were told to do this and come back to our notes a day later, then write. i was inspired by a video of one of my Facebook friends (yes, I’m creepy like that), but i’m omitting the notes, because yeah. we don’t know each other well. 🙂 written initially on 10/31/16, this is the final draft.
Keeping My Distance In Coffee Shops
From feet away, behind your laptop screen,
I see you beaming through holes between
your slender fingers, toothy and bright.
A wrinkled graphic t-shirt, skinny jeans, and worn
slip-on shoes. Glasses perched on the edge
of your nose endearingly.
Cheeks down to collarbones flushed pink. Stubble’s
dusted on the smoothness of your jaw. I catch your
eyes, see
forest fire and ice.
I’m the forest fire no one can seem to tear
their eyes from: helpless. My heart has long become
a billow of smoke, but you don’t seem to know
you can look away now. You were never obligated
to be only a bystander here. We’re strangers,
but your smile is a light beam. You’re still frosted
bright pink, flushed,
and I’m afraid
I’ll melt you
if we speak.
Catching Courage 