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Howdy, stranger

Published: 13 March 2019

I tried to emulate Vedder today and said
hello to a woman who was far from elderly,
as I grabbed the guitar and sat on the counter
to play songs about small towns.
It must have been too loud because
she almost jumped from where she sat
and if she hadn't been as young as she is,
I might have given her a heart attack.

I am strange like that.

Like aiming for the low numbers
since I may have been wrong in saying
that I didn't want to stand behind the line
to reach out to the horns of Uruz,
only to slay it with pride and joy.
When, had I not been afraid to say it,
it would have been an honour to be
the champion of little creatures
that smile at you when you stand
by the water fountains.

I am strange like that.

Like imagining that I am good enough
to gift myself defeat on purpose—
as if it would mean more
than its reverse

—as if the reverse would mean something.

Like, of all the words
that have been said,
hello seems to have taken
the most courage to say.