The Core of Interest

To wonder what you are doing
is the essence of my interests
You could be lounging carelessly
On your overstuffed sofa eating from the bag of Lay’s potato chips
That you bought with your wrinkled five dollar bill the other day
When I stood next to you in line to buy them
You could be watching on your TV what you like to call “mindless nonsense”
And being slightly hypocritical when deriving amusement from it

Maybe you are walking down a street,
Going to pick up the mail, walking in your casual shuffle of a stride
You might glance kindly yet absentmindedly
at something that happens to lie in your path of vision
Running your fingers through your hair, noticing everything, ever observant
And ever transitory, because “getting the bills is a chore and you want to get the hell out already.”

Perhaps you are laughing
The corners of your mouth curling up in that boyish way of yours and
your eyes projecting the fair weather blend of carelessness and undiluted happiness
that summarizes your Sunday morning mood

Or maybe you’re doing nothing at all,
(Because that’s like you).