Fortune Cookies: Poems by Andrew Cox

My Response

I want to slam the door but I do not. The crowd downstairs is comprised of kids I like. It is possible that no one is sure how to proceed. The ceiling fan whirs. The timing of certain laughter does not help. The barking dog does not help. The weather outside does not help. The climate inside does not help. Making a contraction doesn't help. I want to shout but I don't. I want to laugh out loud but I don't. Someone might ask me a question but I won't answer. The silence helps. The silence fixes everything. I want to do something I regret but I don't, to do something stupid but can't figure out what it is. Someone close to me stops talking. This is my response. Someone I don't know begins preaching. This is my response. Whenever anyone wonders, this is my response.

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