they

never

stop

These tappings in my head which rise to the top

as the shadows shout their opinions which

make

no

sense

it’s like a battle field and I’m entrenched

but then he steps into view and

catches

my

eye,

perhaps luckily for him, I’m too shy

to say anything at all to his face so

silent

I

stay

wanting to lean back, to hide, and watch the fire another day

and as my soldiers run out of ammunition

they

declare

ceasefire

for once in my life, and they know it’s silence I admire,

but then he says something to me and

I

freeze

up,

I see his mouth move but my throat closes up,

the generals– on both sides– instantly

start

shouting

orders

but by now all bets are off, disregard all borders,

so I mute the commanders’ voices to

try

and

focus,

but flowers start to bloom in my eyes, an autumn crocus,

eventually his voice reaches the surface and

I

hear

him

after what feels like years, my patience to the brim,

and once I can calculate what he would say,

I realize it’s

the

three

words

I never considered, what I’ve never heard,

“What’s

your

name?”