New Poem - Concrete Putty
Concrete Putty
by John O’Brien, Jr.
I see your angry eyes
and other things too
I see you walking down the hall,
single file
shadow your shadow
feet shuffling, eyes down
you won’t look right at me
but the defiance still rides on your back
weighing you down
a malignant cancer
eating away at the opportunity
that is life
I see your angry eyes
3D
against the brightly lit clean walls
so dead
those painted concrete walls, the same color your jumpsuit
Putty manifested in symbolism? necessity?
Coincidences are really machinations
and the concrete reflects the heat
I see your angry eyes
not reflected in the too cool shuffle
as your high bouncing shoulders
sharply contrast
with your shackle forced tiny steps
I see your angry eyes
the whispered anger comes from more than your shuffling feet
Insolent, sleepy, intentional or ingrained?
Are you even aware of it?
From behind, I feel those eyes again,
Disdainfully sweep over me
Yet when I turn, a half smile, a nod
can’t disinfect the disdain still in the air
I see your angry eyes
and I reach out my hand