An Unwitting Subject
Have you ever considered
the many cases
where family albums
show strangers' faces?
Some of those faces
may well be your own
standing off in the background
apart and unknown
But don't take my word for it
See for yourself
Your album of strangers
is up on your shelf
There's your concert photo
with your best friend Zack
But who are those people
hanging 'round in the back?
You have no idea
and neither does he
But there they all are
for your family to see
I'm sure you have others
but one is enough
in proving my point
which you cannot rebuff
Imagine that maybe
in some obscure book
on a library shelf
where people will look
You've made an appearance
in a photograph there
and many have seen you
while you're unaware
Just an unwitting subject
in the camera's eye
captured forever
as you happened by
Out there in the world
I'm willing to bet
somewhere there's a family
perhaps in Tibet
Viewing their photos
of trips from afar
and they're wondering just
who the heck you are
You're standing right there
in plain sight of all
right next to their grandmother
Ling from Nepal
You took the same photo
with your companion
near Ling and her family
at The Grand Canyon
They're here in our pictures
as we are in theirs
All over the world
we're caught unawares
So, why do I ponder
this subject so deep?
Oh no reason really
I just couldn't sleep
3/1/19
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