Full of Christians and hedonist, one Muslim no Sikh one Hindu one Buddhist in an atheist’s field

We sat around taking in poison we could ill afford

Not with body or spirit or cash or mind

Not a harmonious lot our company

Full of Christians and hedonist, one Muslim no Sikh one Hindu one Buddhist in an atheist’s field

Suspiciously we watched each other smiling, chatting dissecting phrases and creating meanings, interpreting looks as sly, socially taking in more poison talking about everything but the subject of our obvious differences.

Like feral creatures penned into a space uncomfortable round each other, jumpy and stressed held together by social pretensions of civility and acceptance

With lesbians and straight girls, straight men (closet gay men)