During Awkward Intros, Walter Will Wait With You

Dear Reader,

I’m going to apologize right now.

I’m Walter, and I’ve been awkward my whole, short, little, literary life.

You might want to exit while I’m mid-sentence.

That way I won’t see you leaving me like I did the rest,

And it will be okay. Really it will be.

I will be enamored by the fact

I actually had the attention of the Loveliest of Readers,

Here with me (Walter!) and won’t notice

The new empty space in front of me

And in me.

It was so nice to know you.

I know, it’s me, not you.

But if you do decide to stay a bit,

Know this:

I will wait with you,

The whole long time you wait

In life’s hardest moments–

The anxious ones, the lonely ones, the deep, down sad ones–

Because that’s when people really need a Someone,

Even if, I’m sorry to say,

It’s a Walter.

Other books have agenda–

A literal list of things to groan on about

But I can wait, and listen

Because I’m so happy

To really have you here with me.

Sincerely,

Walter