when i’m sitting alone : in the park, and the ducks : swim around in circles : in the poor excuse for a lake : my fingers absent-mindedly toy : with the frays of my sleeve : the soft cotton wall around my arm begins to thin : threads twisting loose : exposing bare skin : and soon one long piece dangles : down and is blown about : in the wind : it’s as if my mind is giving up, : pulling down the barriers i tried : so hard to surround myself with : the lone strand becomes still : and tickles my knee : i wrap the thread around my fingers and snap it off.