Tippy-Tap
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?”