A kind of tenderness

 I used to be a sucker for tenderness 

Now I'm more suspicious of it all

I give my absence as a gift to everyone 

But I never shy away from the tally

I'm not interested in anyone anymore 

So I keep to myself watching the door

I still let it come and refuse no one

But it's just a matter of minutes 

Though it may be impactful enough

I do not get into it absorbing much

I'm just the observer like before 

Kind of window shopping in a mall

People keep noticing me on the streets 

They expect things from me 

Like if they knew me 

And think there's something 

That they need 

Sometimes they think they are helping 

Others they're the ones helped by me

But I'm always unaware of who's what

It's just a quick random interaction 

Though quite meaningful in the moment 

He stood beside me and talked of art

She stood beside me and asked for help

He stood in front of me and rapped

He stood beside me and asked for a poem

She stood before me and didn't recognise me

He came from behind recognising me

They were all tender in disguise 

And I just let them be