03.20.2026

by storm

orbiting

i shop in the danish equivalent to ICA

on vermlandsgade bc the cleaning guy

looks like you. he’s there

shortly before closing time

with his water vacuum vehicle

wearing oversized corporate sweatsuit

his chest making their star shaped logo

infinitesimally

huffing & puffing like a walrus

wiping his face & neck

with the same kind of little

cloth thingy from his back pocket

shuffling his canoe feet & lacking a butt

took me months to make him halfway

smile back at me, now i can wrestle

eye contact from him perhaps

once a week; very consistent costumer

insisting on walking that specific aisle

being polished. slowing down

keep flashing snaggle teeth, cross eyed

hoping or waiting for reciprocal attention.

he doesn’t give it

one time i see him out on the street,

he’s big outdoors too, without aisles

in open air. i would have wanted

to say hi and to smile

but he has two boys with him

bouncing by his side as happy little moons,

orbiting.