no matter how loud
i turn up
my music,
their musical laughter
still reaches
my ears, and
reminds me
how i am
not a part of
their card game.

i am sitting only
a yard away
three
feet
away
and they can't find
the motivation to
invite me over.

i turn my music
up louder
but nothing
can drown out the
voices that tell me
i deserve to be
sitting a yard away,
excluded.