You carry them without knowing it.

They are the moonlight on your shoulders 

or the long shadow clinging to your feet, 

impalpable, free from gravity.

Until one day, out of nowhere, 

they sit with you in the chair, 

float inside you, fondle your heart 

into thumping pulses, 

       and morph into tears 

              gathering in your eyes.

Allison Xu is a young writer from Maryland. Her poems and short stories have appeared in Blue Marble Review, Backchannels Journal, Unbroken, Paper Lanterns, The Daphne Review, The Weight Journal, and elsewhere. Her work has been recognized by Bluefire Creative Writing Contest, Kay Snow Writing Contest, New York Times, etc.