Like the familiar gestures 

we rehearsed, a cup 

half-filled with liquid. 

We of the great escapes 

to the outer boroughs 

for borscht. It happened 

until it stopped. Here, 

take my self-awareness

& self-starter mentality— 

I prefer to follow. Dangle

me at the end of any line.

In the moon-dark, invisible,

I’ll be your shadow. 

You'll barely know I exist.