She sat in her car and cried at the
Intersection of Hamilton and Cross, the traffic lining up behind her. It was the busiest and most
Lawless corner in all of Ypsi, before the construction fixed the sad
Excuse for infrastructure. I switched lanes and drove on,
Not sure if kind words from a stranger would
Calm or incite. Unsure if my appearance would ease or frighten.
Even now, I think about how I don't know the answer. Even now, I regret and wonder.
About the Creator
kp
I am a non-binary, trans-masc writer. I work to dismantle internalized structures of oppression, such as the gender binary, class, and race. My writing is personal but anecdotally points to a larger political picture of systemic injustice.
More Than Just Words
More than sweet words, I cherish the people who are willing to show up for me. The depth of a relationship isn’t determined by how many times we say, “Let’s meet up another day.” Those seemingly warm words often go unfulfilled. Instead, it is the friend you don’t contact often, or even someone who lives far away, who quietly drives over the moment you say, “I’m a little tired lately.”
By Emily Chan - Life and love sharing3 days ago in Poets
Getting Serious About Comedy (Part I)
If I were asked to remark on my life and the childhood that paved some road leading me to this point, I would have to say something about all the funny people who surrounded me for the last 26,872 days (and counting). Somewhere along that road, I became a big fan of laughter and the comedy that spawns it – and, I mean not only my own laughter, but the laughter of others, some of which I have actually been responsible for inducing.
By John Oliver Smith6 days ago in Humor
Comments (9)
I love this one. I've been thinking about a similar situation where someone approached me in a parking lot and I gave what they asked, nothing more. I wonder if it was right. Plus I lived in Ypsilanti for a couple years... Well written, thanks for sharing it.
I can feel the isolation echoing in every line ♥
Oh my ... this is so interesting and complex! There's a sadness to it that I think resonates because likely we've all done this, we've all seen someone and so wanted to reach out and offer help, but then the second-guessing and the overthinking about how it is perceived or viewed by society kicks in and we don't. Before transitioning I always worried people would get angry at the 'man' going up to a crying child or upset girl, so I never did. Now there's new layers to consider, like my own safety ... So much to think about. Great poem! 🩷
This is an interesting take on the challenge and a great question we all need to grapple with. Thanks for sharing this!
Questioning your own choice of silence. I think we've all been in situations like this.
Sad , but a wonderful poem
Gosh. How many times do we wish to reach out to others and don’t. How many times we wish a stranger would reach out to us in a moment of strife, and no one ever does. What a lonely world it is sometimes. How scared are we to “cross a boundary” that we stupidly and unknowingly imposed
Such a raw and human depiction of a real moment in time.
Thought provoking indeed; I often wish I had interceded instead of being a passing onlooker in many situations. I loved this kp!