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"Now Boarding"
the disembodied voice
garbles through the terminal.
At the gate,
people shuffle
up the ramp, their faces
pale and haggard
from their long journey.
Some meet relatives,
loved ones,
friends.
Smiling,
hugging,
shaking hands,
or kissing.
"How was your trip?" "Did you have a good flight?"
The journey was not
the important thing. All that matters
is that they're now back,
(safe,)
in the arms of loved ones.
But others come off
alone. Nobody meets them,
no face smiles
at their arrival.
They vanish off alone,
not caring,
for they only want to conclude
their purpose
for being here
and go back
to their loved ones.
But on the other side,
the ones alone
are the happy-looking ones. For they
are going back
to where
someone will call them
"Mom" or
"Dad" or
"Darling" or
... something else.
It is the ones together,
(happy on one side)
that now look depressed. They hug or kiss,
and whisper
"goodbye"s
or "I love you"s
or "Have a safe trip"s,
and begin counting
the days
until they
will be on
that other side.
Smiling,
hugging,
shaking hands,
or kissing.
--Ryan Smith
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