JOHNMICHAEL SIMON POETRY

If you can close your eyes

to their imperfections, facial gestures

their body language

age and gender

the way they dress

whether their hair is neat or unruly

fingernails long or trimmed

 

If you can close your ears

to their accents, pauses

coughs, ums, ers,

their twangs or husky tones

 

If you don’t even know their names

and simply

meet them on a page

preferably in a standard font

without any exaggerated

indentations or line breaks

 

If you can do that

you may suddenly

see them, hear them

choosing words that

will cross the distance, small or great

between you

to touch your mind, your heart, your soul

in the most beautifully intimate manner

 

You might even fall in love