big duck

we are looking both ways,

uncertain if we're on the

correct side

toward hyde park?

says a lady with a

carryon next to her

knee, the underside

of her forearm extended

yes, i say

you're in the right place

she responds, eyes a

bit red

i notice a tattoo on that

underside arm and say

i love your tattoo!

origami?

crane?

she says yes to the origami

but the bird is a duck, and

i apologize and she says it's

ok they're both birds

and since the train is taking

forever i ask, what do ducks

symbolize?

she says she doesn't know,

she says she and her

best friend got matching

tattoos when they were

eighteen

she's younger than me and

would follow me around so

often that my mom nicknamed

us big duck and little duck,

and the names stuck

and you're still friends?

still friends, just got back

from her wedding

and now i get the red eyes

now filling with tears as

she says, i'm happy for her

because he sees her

we pause

both of us taking stock

the ones who see us, the ones

who makes us shine, the ones

who kept us in the dark and

took us a while to discard

we smile in our silence

as the train comes, we bid

each other goodbye and ride

south into afternoon shadows