Homecoming

This Poem was written from the perspective of the nervous guy you see hugging the wall at the dance.


My heart beat next to yours
Felt so loud, and fast
The ringing in my ears
As you passed

My sweaty Palms
And fumbling tongue turn cold
As you walk by and
I’m not bold

My Nerve is stronger
But as you look,
I turn my head
Into my stupid book.

My anger rises and
My face is flushed
You walked right by
I just blushed

The Dance was coming
My confidence rose
You rounded the corner
I froze.

I coughed loudly
As you went by
You didn’t acknowledge
I started to cry.

I walked home slowly
Head hung low
I was on the Dance’s
Stag death row

The Dance came and went
But I didn’t go
I found out from a friend
You would have said no.

In the hall that week
As you passed by my side
I didn’t flinch
But I did hurt my pride.

I live in a closet
Nice and closed in
Never exposed to
The negative sin.

But my soul has withered
and grown very small
My Psyche closed
into a bare little ball

And because I never took a chance,
I never learned to dance.

john r clark 6-24-92