I.

The footsteps make a drumbeat
pounding against the track
hoo, haa, hoo, haa
and it makes me feel alive

I feel the breeze easing her way
into each pipe and pore
and I can feel the blood course through every vein
as though it was, like me, running for its dear life;
despite breathlessness, calm.
hoo, haa.

II.

Caught myself staring.

I didn’t mean to look
but my eyes are roving
restless loiterers
never content to stop in one place
and constantly looking for new places to rest.

It is said
that eyes are the windows to the soul
and I find myself staring out windows during classes.

III.

in the morning
my dad and I play the game
of hunting cockroaches in the car
bred on the bread we had for breakfast
but could never eat at home.

we
or I
pinch them with tissues
crumble the papers up
hope not to see a leg squirm
or feel the bug’s quiet crack
and quickly, quietly,
throwing their paper coffins out.

may their tiny legs still be intact
so they may scramble to cockroach heaven
or run out of cockroach hell