By Madalyn Hochendoner

in the longstanding practice of reading
on the train

and it reminds me of other solo pursuits:

pogo-sticking to the end of the driveway
and back,

buttoning up the front of a shirt, then
tucking it in,

ordering the bowl of clams

body popped open

like a compact, like a flip phone

like a hand motioning—blah blah blah

trying to still-life it

to still-love it

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Madalyn Hochendoner lives in Pittsburgh and works in reproductive health.