Mr. Subliminal

Read the fine print, read between the lines,
listen to the words beneath the breath.

Sneak past the neighbors who aren’t friends.

Send up smoke signals or carrier pigeons.
Float it in a bottle that’s been cast to sea.

Dodge the fragile coral that’s within reach.

Capture sound in an air bubble, pop it before
surfacing. Don’t let the laughter and cries escape.

Winds can carry wounds like old shotguns.

Kept secrets fester like the world of a runaway.
Whispers might as well be sign language.