when we walk we think
to walk away from it all
it is then of course
we come across a path
we hadn’t thought to walk before.

it seems for a long time no one had :
pavement cracked and
weeds growing through.

we could clear one crack a day
and still not be done when more
begin to show. we would have
to patch it. imagine a lifetime
picking weeds and patching cracks
in the pavement of a single path.

ignore the two dogs barking
at the man who’s emerged from the trees
and whom we must pass on the path.
when he begins to mutter
we will not hear him. no. we will not
hear him. we will tap our headphones.
we will smile and wave. our mouths
will be covered but we will smile
and wave and still we will not
hear him.