I have never been hurt
By anyone or anything.

I collect phone numbers.
Phone numbers of people
    who have never hurt me.
Phone numbers of people
    I will never call.

I collect phone numbers,
And pennies off the sidewalk.
I collect pennies that could be wishes.
But I never wish.
I simply collect them from the dirt,
And take them to another place
Where they eventually fall to the dirt.
Finding one is not a gain,
Losing one is not a loss.
I just collect them.

I collect phone numbers,
And pennies off the sidewalk,
And canceled stamps, 
    But only ones with pictures of dogs.
I've never seen a canceled stamp
    with a picture of a dog.
I don't believe they exist,
But I collect them.

I collect phone numbers,
And pennies off the sidewalk,
And canceled stamps of dogs 
    - that don't exist,
And true stories.
I collect stories of other people
who have been hurt.
Their stories are true.
They are filled with pain.
They have been hurt.
I collect other people's stories 
because they are true.

I have never been hurt
    By anyone or anything.
I have never been hurt
Never anyone
Never anything
I have never been

I have never
Never have been
Have
Been

Never

Hurt
I
Have
Been.

Copyright © 1997 wendi loomis The Seasons Change