Be young and crowd-shy,
harangued by a mother.

Come into your voice
like a mouse sniffing traps.

Your audience is a blind man?
Speak closer.

If nearly blind,
remember to linger on words.

Let the biggest card
buffer your blushes.

And the one you wrote?
Read last like you planned.

It’s what’s expected, sweet one.
Expected most of all.


(C) Garrett Ray Harriman