Outside Looking In

It is painful this longing, this desire to belong

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I am outside looking in
At all the hugs and kisses.
At all the lovings and the ‘missed you.’

I am outside looking in.

A voice that wants to rise, to share a thing.
A thing that wants to be shared.
But like a wave over a rock, someone else washes over my words.

And I am left outside looking in.

They gather round, chit chattering,
Gobble gobble cluck.
They gather round, petting and stroking.
I try to slip in, find an opening.
But before I can reach it, it closes on itself

And I am left outside looking in.

I pull back, now embarrassed to be seen wanting it,
Needing it, so much.
To be invited, to be welcomed, to be seen.

They break up into smaller groups.
Honking and clucking. And I look for an opening
A place where I might slide in.

My hope rises, maybe there is an opportunity now.
To fit in with a smaller group.
I watch as two…