4 My Virtual Homies

It’s a decent social life, just the people who surround But why settle for just that? So many more options abound. Do I want to talk about triathlon, poetry or ultra running? The neighbors don’t get them; coworkers thing they're funny. The only consistent feedback I get is “Dude, you’re crazy.” No, I’m not crazy. And better if we don’t start on your “lazy”… And poetry? I think I’ve already said more than once here, That one gets little response but dead air… It gets old explaining myself, and all my eccentricities Keeping my heart on the under has become a daily necessity. So it’s a blessed relief not to have to justify what I am When I write and post poems, or mention how far I swam. I can mold it to me and not me to it, almost simplistic In that sense alone, it tends toward narcissistic. So I wonder: Am I running and hiding, avoiding the need to adapt? Releasing my soul, or keeping it trapped? Writing new chapters, or redacting, Adding to my life, or subtracting? But the three letters, I think, that define so well, If all this a good thing, are I, R, and L. In real life, you see, not just in the internet ‘hood, I’ve met far more awesome people than I otherwise would. And the kids I grew up with, we flew to the winds, I never thought I’d see any of them again. But I “see” most of them daily, in a virtual way, A lost sense of continuity from a bygone day. And my cousins from three thousand miles where I’m livin’, To see their lives closely, oh what I’d have given. It’s a wonderful supplement, these new modern worlds, And I say this to you, flag unfurled: I look forward daily to the great stuff you show me, So this one’s for all my virtual homies! 3/10/16