Judging a Cover before Reading - Nov. 5, 2024

not sure how to approach

some men these days

skin covered in ink

emits a dangerous look

heavy beards hide

multitudes of emotions

and many heads seem hard and

carved with or without hair

the look is like a mask

left on after Halloween

I’m always on high alert

after saying “Hi”

and hold a few defensive options

depending on

I hate to say it -

how yellow the teeth are

or if their eyes don’t reflect

any light at all