Muses

dear muses,
we haven’t spoken in over a year.
the last time i saw you, you were angry with me.
and you told me i was a distraction.
and you, you, and you!
those smiles, the wry wit, the winks.
how you play the piano,
and how you are passionate about your business,
and you! well, you just had a great smile.

is it selfish of me to have more than one?
but learning someone new is such a joy!
i refuse to feel self-conscious about
soaking in the wrinkles around happy eyes,
breathing in a new scent, mesmerized by a new laugh,
turning words over on my tongue while
i process which version of human is being presented to me.
i love catching gazes head-on
and watching someone actively choose which self to be.
exhibit H shifted uncomfortably in his chair, straightened his left shoulder,
asked, “oh, you’re a writer? (laughs, mockingly) will you write about me?”
i looked at his icy blue stare (i could write about his lashes for days),
sipped my water, smirked and said,
“probably.”

Image is not mine.