How easy is it to forget Your humanity In work and dates and Deadlines and some new TV show Until you read a poem On Joy and Sorry The two words tattooed On your cousin’s arms Shortly before he died In Florida. A week before he was To propose to his girlfriend Of 5 years.
And his face Flashes before you As you sit in a park somewhere And you debate if you should send The poem to his two brothers Or leave them alone.
And you look around And see a couple Wrapped together in a sun blanket, Her head resting on his shoulders And two ducks float in the river beyond Swept in the refraction of waves from Some swimmers nearby and there are Some girls nearby too, Laughing between hushed-tone whispers And a train sounds somewhere in the distance And you are shocked by all the humanity.