five minutes from home

blue car goes straight

white car turns left

red light turns green

cars surge forward

surge toward

me.

tonight i sit behind a window and watch

eyes stare and mind wanders

i wonder where everyone is going

tonight

wonder where i am going

tonight?

soon i will gather my things

and walk

i will walk five minutes into darkness

five minutes from this lighted land of coffee

five minutes to my new

home.

the word lingers

the word lives

the word is wonderful and powerful and yet still so

awful

awkward

unrealized.

tonight i will walk home

home where i am loved

home where i am safe

home.

tonight i will lock a door behind me

wash my face

brush my teeth

pee

lie in a bed

sleep with blankets to warm me

sleep with fans to cool me as i

dream.

tonight my body will rest

my soul will rest

i will rest

— but what about the rest?

what about the homeless of house

the homeless of heart?

which home would they rather have

tonight?

which home would i rather have

tonight?

tonight i sit in a coffee shop

five minutes from home

lit by lamps

lit by laughter

lit by glowing screens

warmed by

love.

soon i will leave this warmth

walk into the cool dark

walk five minutes to home

and sleep

and rest

and dream

and wonder

wonder what Home is like

why Home is still so far

so very far.

even after all of this.

far

from you and me and he and she

and all the

rest.