I'm crying out but I shed no tears
Notice me, Notice me

Nobody thinks of me
Notice me, Notice me
  
Why do they blame me?
Notice me, Notice me
  
I smile to hide the pain
Notice me, Notice me

My laugh is loud but can't be heard
Notice me, Notice me
  
When it thunders, I sleep
Notice me, Notice me
  
I eat but my stomach never fills
Notice me, Notice me
  
The world around me screams "Wow!" and I ask "How?"
Notice me, Notice me
  
Love for another...Love for another, does it really exist?
Notice me, Notice me
  
Too busy running, too self-absorbed
Notice me, Notice me

Everyone around me unable to see
Notice me, Notice me
  
When everything breaks, I'm left to pick up the pieces
Notice me, Notice me
  
Illusions are the prize and me a tear in their eyes
Notice me, Notice me
  
I count 1, 2, 3...You see
Notice me, Notice me

Last on the list, other things on it first
Notice me, Notice me
  
I walk, I run it matters nonetheless
Notice me, Notice me
  
My roar overflows with words without pages
Notice me, Notice me

I wink at the bright yellow sun as the birds fly by
Notice me, Notice me
  
Look how high my broken swing touches the sky
Notice me, Notice me
  
Subdued by it all, my stillness keeps me afloat
Notice me, Notice me
  
Why me, Why me
Notice me, Notice me
  
Why not us, Why not us
Notice me, Notice me
  
-Najwa Kareem

I notice the tiny pulse of frustration in the back of his neck
I notice the way that he sighs and slumps over
I notice how his elbows splay out so his face bobs lightly over his desk
A buoy dancing over a wave
I notice the way he glances at his friends before he answers
I notice the way he shapes his mouth into a grin before he speaks
I notice how his eyes squint a little when he laughs
I notice how they dull when he doesn’t want to listen
I notice how his shoulders hunch when refuses to hear
I notice the boredom in the lines of his back as he considers
I notice the way his leg jiggles as he bounces his foot lightly
The ever-present dichotomy of professionalism fighting immaturity
Of a thirst to learn, fighting against ignorance, justice calling
I notice this inner battle of boyish nonchalance and masculine defensiveness
I notice how his eyes dart lightly over his chosen comrades before he writes again
I notice the way he presses his forehead into his hand
As though he could pull ideas out
And read his thoughts printed back on his palm
I notice the consistent rubbing against his face with his fingers
Phalanges to stimulate the thought process
I notice the hesitation before his pen scratches the page
Piercing the paper with words he must call his own
I notice the claim of responsibility and the toll it takes on his physique
I notice the fatigue of struggling to create
To feel, to create, to feel, to feel
I notice, throughout all the time I’ve been noticing him
He has not noticed me once

Did you notice the sky was gray?

Did you notice their shoes today?

Did you notice those old rocks?

Did you notice your own thoughts?

Do you notice the wind in you hair?

Did you notice the birds over there?

Did you notice how you smile?

Did you notice your clothing style?

Did you notice the apple tree?

Did you notice the grass was green?

Did you notice the teacher's pants?

Did you notice the minute hand?

Did you notice the shade of their eyes?

Did you notice how you cry?

Did you notice the cleaning staff?

Did you notice your neighbor's laugh?

Did you notice?