Talking to the Canadian woman,
27 or so,
In the Walgreens in North Carolina,
.
I am observing how she stands
Patiently and easily, making
Voluminous eye contact with
Dark, non-expressive but
.
Softly inviting eyes.
.
She is alarmingly marked by
The fact that she is not frightened,
Not acting like I am a rapist
Or a degraded individual
Or like she is in any danger
.
And she sees this surprise in me
And she is taking in
The great, bleeding experiment
.
That is America,
An opaque bath of darkness,
A liquid nitrogen tank
.
Of pain and desperation.