harmless

I have to look away
from my eyes in the mirror

When I walk down sidewalks,
my eyes swim ahead for the next

innocent one

who could think I'm a threat,
and I swerve or shrink
preemptively

in body
and head.

And it usually works

But sometimes they cross
to the other side, just in case

- trailing a dog that could rip me
in half, probably

it's rough.

There doesn't seem a way
to try hard enough