Tenderness

Tenderness
you walked and head down saw
Tenderness
written rewritten on the pavement,
Medicine
you drank the sun for
Medicine
and valued the clouds as individuals,
Circles
measuring each footstep you walked in
Circles
mind-mapped,
Regardless
you felt hollow though
Regardless
of your own hunger pain.

Wrapped
you treasured each thought
Wrapped
cotton-wooled in gentleness,
Magic
you sudden and neglected saw
Magic
in the sunbeam,
Trancelike
you walked head down and
Trancelike
lifted single arm as gift,
Tokens
all the cars were
Tokens
of your own need and travelling.

Lost
something of yourself you
Lost
in the car park out back,
Trying
with fingers crossed teeth clenched
Trying
for appreciation,
And walked
you did eyes shut
And walked
you did feet dragging dust,
Sweetness
you looked you saw
Sweetness
in the window.