here
i have no car
can’t get to any place
without my own legs carrying me
or reliance on another

here
where you can open the window
close the window
spit out the window
and no one cares

where i am
i can see
ladies with backs bent
from years of service
to the earth
carrying the vegetables
to the people

where i am
i see a man who needs help
talking to himself
alone in his head
and everyone looks
the other way

“do you know my son?”
“do you know my granddaughter?”
“do you speak this language?”
“from where do you come?”
tilted heads
dark eyes looking into mine
hand reaching out to touch
my messy hair
i’ve been waiting
here
for awhile

here
i let my legs carry me
through sidestreets
through alleyways
through a little town
in the countryside

by the river
a cat is chasing a chicken
the running water
and the fear of the hen
are the only sounds

here
is where i met
the little girl
and her little dog
and we laughed
for lack of common language

she told me i was pretty
and i told her she was pretty
and she giggled
and covered her face
and ran away

invited to sit
scolded
pushed and shoved
and patted on the back
waved to
laughed at
spoken to
ignored

it’s another day
on the bus
here

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