on the shelf
waiting for someone to
set eyes on me
waiting for them
to open me up
and read
one among many
as a sardine
we’re all pushed together
with only our spine to
align each other
been closed too long
never chose
just as in high school
without a date for the prom
just as shy and scared
a soul to bare
without a body
words to spare
crass and shoddy
they put me on the
lower shelf
after months of
going nowhere else
out of eye range
just hanging out
seeing others go
and new ones come
my comrades have homes
I
none