people along the borders speak stranger
than here their accents slur towards a there
further away than their words convey
some days it’s even hard to follow
the people next door with their talk
of movie stars and escaped bears
often I find it simpler to say nothing
rather than risk being misconstrued
then defined by what I didn’t mean
so I nod my head as if what
is said is somehow within
the edges of my understanding
my limited vocabulary protects
me from crossing any lines
(December 2012)
