From The Lab

Stranger Nation

Blank faces pacing at a shuffling gait,
Shoulder to shoulder with all the unknowns;
Unspoken words being scattered around,
Snagged by receivers strong enough to hear.
That which is recognized clearly exists,
And dismissed just as quickly as needed,
To free up space on a cluttered hard drive,
Excuses, now only good for one thing.
Cold stares of indifference strike at the core,
Drowned in a mind-flood of pity, unhinged,
Identified, days past, for what it was;
A back turned without a how-do-you-do,
And a civil laugh in stranger nation.