Social Cues

I turned the car away                                                 from where we had been                                        going to; 

away so we might

hear the bells a little longer 

and better 

than we could 

from where we were - 

where we had been going.

It dawned on me we have 

lost our ways of social knowing; 

our holding of a thing 

in common while not directly 

near each other or within

the sight of our eyes.

The bells rang on for a

time far beyond my expectation,

some hymns played three 

complete verses.  I was shocked

enough to find a church whose

bells were ringing let alone one

that played on for twelve minutes.

Remember the days when we 

all took in common and similar 

events?  Bells of churches and

schools, sirens on Saturday at 

noon.  Whole communities set

to celebrating feast days and

holidays alike, clustered in their

neighborhoods and cultural

divides.  Not a bad gathering

by kind, but one to ease the burden

of unspoken language or 

misunderstood social cues.

A way of making and securing

Bonds with them who understand - us.