if you never talk to strangers
how else would you know anyone?

does a baby know his mother
without seeing her
when he goes out of the womb?

does a toddler go by himself
in a playground, not sharing
his toys to the other kids?

does a child go in school
for the very first time
and not make any friends?

does a person not smile
to the person behind the bar
in a coffee shop?

i say lovers were
strangers to one another
at some point in time--

and if you've never talked to strangers
you've never loved at all.