green (june 3rd, 2021)

niceties (you look pretty & that was funny & others) flow easily,

and no one pauses after asking mom to pass the salt

(huh, and i guess we have a shared table to pass the salt across,

feel the shoulder stretch, brush of fingertips, resignation after)

and there is no life-or-death in the goodbyes at the front door:

i watch the way other people love one another,

and it reminds me that i am young.