Coffee Shop Sessions

- a pantoum


“It’ll happen soon. We’ll figure it out.” 

I almost believe that.

The guilt and stress induce paranoia–

one step away from losing everything.


I almost believe that

you have to choose where you want to be.

One step away from losing. Everything

prompts a shush, a pause, a “I gotta go” because we can’t be seen or heard.


You have to choose where you want to be.

Lord knows I desperately want to be selfish. 

There’s a shush, a pause. I gotta go because we can’t be seen or heard

once again. Just a little more. Just keep on believing. It will happen soon.


Lord knows I desperately want to be selfish. 

The guilt and stress induce paranoia but I hold back, requiring constant reassurance 

once again. Just a little more. Just keep on believing. It will happen soon.

The agony is deeper than we have ever felt but we insist, it’ll happen soon. We’ll figure it out. 

Thanks for reading this work in progress since 2021. Maybe one day we’ll figure it out.