waiting to see

Behind the sighing, 

groaning, cursing, 

shackles, hot stove, 

backache, itch, 

sky-high wall 

of wanting to hide, 

vodka waterfall, 

I see him smiling 

shyly, looking up 

out of his tall body 

as if he'd just told

an invisible joke,

whispered it telepathically,

and was waiting to see

if I would laugh.

 

[Elaine Equí {1953- } 'C'mon, Really This is Bullshit', from Sentences and Rain]