Indirect Characters Poem by nathan martin

i saw them on the streets in downtown
portland the other day they each wore
pieces of someone elses expressions.

some of them were tall like the clouds
seem in the morning when you first look up.

others looked different maybe more like
me or less like you. some wore mirrors over
their eyes, and when they spoke it sometimes
sounded like yagasaki moriah todoi.

the words would bounce off of the pavement
like scattered scrabble pieces. i would pick up
one then another as i turned my head.

i became very proficient at wandering and
collecting all things ungiven out of the corners
of my eyes. third person twice removed we
all watched each other.