Exited my house around 11 a.m. – made sure I had charged camera battery, wore sensible shoes, had knee brace for extended standing, the right play list on the iPod, reading Best New Werewolf Tales on Kindle in transit – off at Union Station – caraway rye bagel with herb garlic cream cheese from Bagel Works, then coffee & danish from Tim Ho’s, take pics of cosplay, put knee brace on –
Arrived in first line up by 12 noon – take pics of line-ups, blazing sun, finish danish, sip coffee, doors open at 12:30 for next-level-down line-ups – inside & one floor down – finish bagel – 1:15 let loose to next level down for next set of line-ups to pick up premium pass bags – finally on Expo main floor by 1:30 & final line-up for early entry – which happens shortly after 2.
My first sweep of things – too much to see & not enough $ – find the dvd stall & pick up some Tartan Asia Extreme: The Red Shoes; Pray; R-Point. search for graphic novel American Vampire 3, find it; pick up some Archie comics !! Archie’s Pal Kevin (the gay guy) hardcover & also special convention printing of the gay wedding issue. Picked up dirt cheap Lord of the Rings action figure. Exit Expo at 3 – 4 hours of walking & mainly standing more than enough work for me.
*The Mystery*
A man on his knees
on a downtown sidewalk
just out of the way
yet where he could be seen
prays
mutters words of supplication
eyes open
looks out from himself
into the world around him
<>
on the next street three women
on their knees pray
people in restaurants
slide to their knees
poets in coffee shops
after getting their double double
kneel
<>
whisper prayers
in different words
in different languages
call to different entities
<>
they are unafraid
of being seen as ones
who are willing to pray
when the feeling comes upon them
<>
pulling over cars to get out
kneeling in buses
in movie theaters
with pop corn and soft drinks
balanced in their hands
<>
reaching out for a moment
feeling the touch of something
sharing the touch of something
<>
those that can’t pray turn away
as if seeing something
that should be done only in private
so as not to remind them
that some people have faith
<>
those that pray often don’t know
what they have faith in
they feel the tickle of it in their blood
savor the taste of it
as they utter sweet words
<>
once they stand
some don’t recall the moment of prayer
they know that even if the pause
can’t change the world
can’t end war in our time
for the moment of prayer
they can be changed
in the chaos
in the peace
in the lives around them
<>
and that’s the mystery
TOpoet 