Solo Duet
Looking across the table,
wondering how you see me
thinking...
how different we are.
Do you understand me?
Is that smile warming
just the outside of me
because I'm here? or
is it also for what I bring?

I sit across from you
waiting for words to come...

wanting to talk
of the inner lands.
Our words touch on gardens and cars,
computers, cooking and cats and, and
all the trappings,
all the facts.
Once, early on, magic.
Lately that is neatly tucked away
so it won't scare me?
Maybe you don't know what to say,
or if I'll listen, or...
maybe some other reason
but I don't know why.

And I don't know what you're hearing
when I send my thoughts of art, balance,
and why some things are important -
so important -
to me. I keep
talking
and it is feeling
like
well... maybe I should stop
because
like
I'm going on and on
and
...

Are you smiling because I'm here?
Or because you heard me?

You give me presence
but not the gift of thoughts...
to put words to thoughts
is a dance
a song sung duet,
giving listening
into words.
Speaking alone
is less
than half
a song.

5June95

---------------------- bar image --------------------

Back to Poem Index Back to my Homepage