Lately I have been moved to tears

Whenever I catch myself alone

And I think no one is watching

Turns out I am still naïve enough to think

People talk about me when I am not around

Like there was anything worth saying

Or that I had the power to move words

Instead of them moving me

They move me

Still dumb enough for this poem to remind me of a joke

Does a bear sleep in the woods?

Does a bear **** in the woods?

If it knocks down a tree and no one is there to see it happen,

Does a bear make a sound in the woods?

Just like if I trap my sobs in a pillow and no one is there

To put their hand on my shoulder

Do I make a sound?

Or if no one is there to punch me in the gut

Do I still double over

From the pressure of begging God

For more patience than this

For more strength than this

For more love than this

For more hunger than this

I go days without eating

Just so I don’t have to feel sick again

Makes me wish it was the cancer

Just so there is something to take outa me

And it’s got me believing in fairy tales

Like God

Or the Wizard of Oz

telling me

You silly man

You had the patience

all along

You had the strength

all along

You had the love

all along

You had the hunger

all along

Bears **** in the woods

And the words move me too

And always remember

To ignore the man behind the curtain