My secret passengers

It’s the too long silences which give me away.

Inside the beasts jostle shoulder to shoulder to gaze through my eyes.

Inadvertently they scratch and claw at my ribs,

hold onto the arched bone as they lean forward.

I raise my glass, smile across the table,

They shake at my ribs

Howl  as I tilt my head to focus on the exchanges around me.

Ignored they explode through my body in frustration.

I count. One, two, three and breath.

The tension in my chest eases and they disperse.

For now.

 

The truth is

I covert their secret presence,

Relish that few recognizance them in me.

The grass looks greener when they are there.

The wind feels softer on my face,

The water tastes sweeter.

But most of all I like it when I feel their kindred in others,

The woman opposite me in the subway

The man leaning against the counter at the bar

The smile on the strangers face as we walk towards each other

Invisible hands reaching out as we pass.

Alive

Connected by our secret passengers.