Have you stood

in the center of the street, a crooked five-way intersection,

cars all around,

stop sign only there and there, cars streaming past,

irregular and from blindspots, there and there.

No rest, they just keep coming,

exhaust and tires, drivers, cargo, barking dogs,

more and more.

The sensible thing would be to get out of the street,

the smart choice, the why didn’t you, why wouldn’t you,

don’t just stand there! crowd hissing on.

What isn’t understood,

except in your own panicked heart and frozen feet,

what they will likely never descend to–

far too scary to submit to–

is the bodily acceptance that no sideline, no sidewalk, no aid at all

offers safety

any more than right at the center of oncoming traffic..

not the left, not the right, pick your side of the dial,

that clock position, nothing feels any safer

than where you are

right now

in the middle of oncoming traffic

and somehow,

somehow

that has to be

okay.

And somehow,

somehow

you will be

okay.