everyone is asleep;
the air conditioning
is the loudest thing in the house,
and I sit upon the stairs

waiting,

waiting,

waiting.

sitting in the corner
of the room
staring at a corner
of the room
where the ceiling
meets the walls
and the voices
are like water.

sitting on the bus
in the rain
staring at the road
in the rain
through the window
see the people
splotchy and wet
warped in the glass.

eating with my parents
tired and quiet
speaking with my parents
tired and quiet
and the effort put into
conversation
is minimal
their voices are muffled.