Loneliness
Loneliness
The city is lonely. I mean the city
Itself. The river won’t stop to talk.
The lovers who call the city home
Are too involved with one another.
Later, in bed, they’ll be lonely.
The trees are lonely. They mingle
Their leaves, but at root they’re alone.
The church is lonely. People come,
Look around, leave. The woman
Praying is lonely. She is praying
To not feel so lonely. The fountains
Are lonely, suitors left standing
Alone, holding bouquets of water.
The waiters are lonely, waiting
For the last diners to finish eating.
The family eating together is lonely.
Lonely the forks, lonely the knives,
Lonely the plates and glasses and napkins.
The bread they hardly touched, God
Is it lonely. God alone isn’t lonely.
He made all this to keep Himself company.