riding the first avenue bus
overwhelming joy
all is beautiful
the gray sky
naked trees
dirty buildings
heavy traffic
the music through my earphones

too happy
no room for squeezing in more happiness
but it keeps sneaking in

getting off the bus
entering a building
into the rest room
instead of peeing
start crying
dripping tears into the toilet
peeing from my eyes
crying and laughing

brief moment of sadness
then laughing again
zipping up my pants
looking in the mirror
my eyes aren’t even red
tears of happiness
don’t leave marks

© 2001. All Rights Reserved.
Zemach Zohar Wilson, New York, February 2001