Next time

i promised myself & everything good and right

to never ignore a casual bigot,

the toss of ugly into the nest of social chitchat.

like every time it happens, it stuns, and the moment to speak passes,

or so i tell myself. coward.

all day i revisit the landing, fat steaming turd between tennis bags,

and there’s no redemption, just next time,

i come prepared. that smoking crater

will be close as i can get

to real courage.