The Subterfuge Of The Lip Reader Poem by Raj Dronamraju

Brad doesn't telegraph his emotions
Brad's lips are tightly sealed
He is the one who keeps confidences
Brad thought I wasn't looking

This clarity may be like hell
She can read lips but anyone can read a sour smile
We do what we do, this is what I was given and this what a solution looks like from where I stand

She and I did not want to show that we understood what Brad sideways whispered
The economy hastens moral decay and does not add to love
Neither does it temper love

It looks out the window at neighbors mowing their lawns and children playing
Entertains itself making deductions about life styles and relationships by watching nearby humans
Packs discontent in microwaveable containers to be brought out when others come over