When Out Walking
Avoid eye contact with the people you knew
a few years ago—that brief romantic tryst
or the friend of a friend from the art opening.
They’ll look you in the face like children do,
frustrated, not understanding an adult’s list
of needs from those around them; still hoping
there’s a spark of Once… worth it to pursue.
Accidental connections with people, like cysts,
are found in the dark, when we reach out, groping.
But when out walking—with any luck—they’ll avoid you.
- Ted Roland