My Unsmiling Friend

My unsmiling friend
Stares back at me
With an unfriendly kindness
Too far away to see

Or is it unsmiling kindness
Of strangers I crave?
Upending forced Laughs,
forced grins, forced waves

I prefer a mute mouth
A kind word
lips turned down
Laugh inward, small shake
gave thanks, no sound

But when you do smile
I’ll know it
What it takes
If only for a bit
Reward earned
Kept my keep
Near your feet
I sit

In the silence of our smiles
Or stares
And the lack of
In between
My breath hiss
Soft cloud
Unbroken
Sweet relief