Tidbits of a Mind.

odd times

you realise things at odd times.

like while sitting in a quiet, cramped car. dust shifts and lemon light flutters in between eyelashes. your dad's hands grip the wheel tighter, drumming to an invisible tune, the sound of peace and tired limbs after hiking. small flecks of earth nestle into the crooks of your toes. your brother, slumped on your lap, occasionally stirs to fit himself in the tiny car. vehicles and lives flash by faster than imagined and i realise i have changed.

odd times,

like at your grandmother's warm, humble home. tiny but strong, full of heart. the sound of sizzling, a traffic jam, and quiet humming. your grandmother's magic hands hold onto a ladle and she stirs, ingredients mixing under her spell.  lights in the kitchen glow a florescent white, kitchen tiles blink and reflect. the neighbors, the doorbell, new earrings, shopping bags and i realise i need breaks.

odd times,

like two am in the morning, sitting in a dark room, only a corridor lit. a little broken. a little panicked. a little maddened. impulsive poetry, regret, drama. condoned betrayal, unjustified anger, pointless exhaustion of trying to understand someone's mind and searching their soul for a long time. quietly crying, trying to hide a sniffly nose, wiping eyes in a dim bathroom, the mirror showing ugly truth. submerging your face in cold water in order to numb your overgrown emotions and i realise i have feelings.

odd times,

like on an airplane, thousands of feet above the surface, clouds undulating underneath. the snores from your neighbor echo, feet compacted, armrest tussles. quiet but the hum of engines. a baby cries, a mother shushes. ears popping, yawning, messy hair. uncomfortable sleep, although desperately tired. blinking movie screens, golden book lights, laptop keyboards. headphones reciting playlists, their plastic mouths become heavy in your ears and i realise i miss home.

odd times,

like right now, as you read the pixels on your screen of my writing. the gears in your head churn to decipher each word and put together sentences, searching for meaning. wherever you sit, you are either paying attention or not.

you think

at odd times.