The Embrace

she’s lost
exposed
and cold
And drifts to a nameless destination

joints ache
head pounds
feet run
The frantic cold whips at her tingling skin

“Smile, you!”

Shaking, she hugs herself
Adding one more barrier against the world,
Bracing herself

Again,
“Smile, you!”

She steadies her gaze ahead
Ugly salt rips shamefully down her cheeks

He caught me!
She realizes

“hey, you!
it’s me!
come here,”
He shouts, awkwardly ambling after her

The calc. kid, she sighs
She doesn’t bother to wipe her tears

he nears
arms wide
then hugs
And steps back to study her secret face

And remarks
“So,
You smile.”