You’re in another country
and you’re at a party
and the language isn’t yours.
You know a few words
but really have to concentrate to hear if those words show up.
After awhile
your brain is exhausted trying to interpret the
talk talk talk.
You can go in the next room and lie down
or surrender and give up listening.
The party flows on fine without you.
You stop struggling.
You eat the party food and drink the party drink
and look at this guy’s blue shirt
or that gal’s funny hair
or how the house dog’s tail
gently sweeps the floor
in time to the music.
You start to feel better.
You’re riding the wave –
given up on understanding -
not getting a single word -
breathing in the big picture.