Seeking quiet space,
I found refuge in
corners all across town.

I sought shelter, as if
without a home;
Coffee shops, libraries,
stores and malls.

When badged officers
did a double take
as they walked by,
I’d look engrossed
in the library book.

However, their routinely presence
eventually brought discomfort;
I couldn’t stay there any longer;
where next could I go?

At the local mall,
I window shopped, yet
security officers
stared suspiciously
as if to say,
“It’s time you moved on.”

I left, but scorching heat
kept me moving
from one air-conditioned space
to another.

Constantly on the move,
often feeling unwanted,
I fled time and time again.

But I’m lucky.
I was merely displaced
by the two men
up on my roof.

From dawn to dusk,
their hammers commanded
I leave my nest, but
I have a home to return to.