A figure drapes over the coat hanger
Taking the shape of the arms and body of a man
The more I stare, the more it becomes an actual person
My fingers fiddle in search for release
As the buttons peek through tempting me
My lips run dry and my hands remain empty
And I imagine my skin wrapping around sewn cotton
Mended warmth and comfort,
Oh how it brings me relief
But I know for a fact that the second my wrists touch the sleeves,
I’ll be by the doorstep and off I’ll go,
In search for a soul to speak
A puff to share, a drag to inhale
And some change to deplete
An empty bench
An open palm, to write poetry
My footsteps will seek for roads less traveled
Winged creatures and oak trees that have stood and will stand for hours
Awaiting the sunrise and the blue skies to turn grey
My arms will wander for embraces
My heart will tick, watching life drift away
And at the end of the day
I am nothing more but a human being
An image from a book
An unfinished sentence
For when morning comes and I lie in comfort,
My eyes will range
From the highest and lowest of these walls
A corner will catch my attention
And I will look at this man,
Taking the shape of the arms and body of a lover I do not recognize
The more I stare, the more it becomes a figment of my imagination

n.j.