I love people
I see something I never saw
when I was younger
and usually so terribly nervous
I see their softness
The flight of their eyes
The tumble of hands
Gestures
And I understand so much from watching bodies talk
I stand in a room full of people in the grasp of communication
And the quieter I am
The more I see
Humans
Are very beautiful to me
The more they drink
The louder they become
The less I can hear
And my skin starts to hum
I know it’s time to withdraw
I leave quietly by the side door
I’ll come back later
Pick him up
For now
I want to go home
To my small dog
Half a book
And the fire
But it’s not with the same urgency or shy escape as when I was younger
It doesn’t matter if it takes all day to get to the car
I walk with sure measured steps
Puffing warm smokey breath in the cold night air
Looking up into a millions stars above
My boot heels are grounded
A small smile as I recall how someone said
Or did
People are good
Great even
But I’m not missed
I’m happy on my own.
And my wag body dog
Is very happy
I’m home
