What The “Before” Of A Run Feels Like

Before

Before,

there is this moment

when no one wants to be alone.

As our fingers,

who have always had the company of one another,

prefer mittens to gloves—

we who about-to-be-by-ourselves

look around,

one final time connect

with somebody or the ant

crawling by our toe

and who unlike

us may not be okay

once it begins.

I am not yet aware what kind of somebody I want,

or for how long.

I do know

before I go,

I need to know somebody knows

I’ve left.