Early in the day

Early in the shopping mall

Looking for a comfortable place to sit

I saw a young woman

Most bizarre eye mascara

Coming down the escalator

As I went up!

Clown-like, I thought,

But as we passed

And I continued up as she went down

Her tears and consternation were intense!

What burdens and what tragedies we bear

And this so early in the morning,

Early in the day.