Anonymity of the Airport - Sam Hendrian
poem read by Timothy Arliss OBrien
Anonymity of the Airport
Sam Hendrian
Bags checked, security cleared
Minus any direct eye contact,
Voice lowered to a minimum octave
To expedite zero expectations.
Most luggage looks the same
No matter what’s inside,
Proof of having somewhere to go
Even if there’s no one there.
Might be depressed, might be borderline stressed
For plenty of complicated reasons
Such as the changing seasons
And the broken promises that come with them.
No one cares who you are
Just like everywhere else, I suppose
But somehow it hurts more here
Where closest friends don’t seem remotely near.
Before turning on airplane mode
It’s necessary to court anxiety
By taking one last look for a response
From that person you’ve been waiting to hear from.
Then it’s time to board
With yet another disappointment under your belt
And another special face
Taking up too much mental space.
Sam Hendrian is a filmmaker and poet striving to foster empathy.
More work can be found on Instagram at @samhendrian143.
