Shhh!

The highway noise

Blasting like dynamite

From all directions

Trucks crashing

Sirens blaring

Jack hammers pounding cement

Cover the cries

Of a small whisper

“Shhh!

Listen,

What’s that?”

The big lady

With cotton in her ears

Keeps talking

The unassuming woman

Waiting on a subway

Puts down the book she’s reading

And walks towards the staircase.

With certainty

She climbs towards the raging traffic.

 In the drainage ditch

A wet, shaking kitten

Mouths a voiceless meow.

She picks it up

Holds next to her heart and

 strokes its shivering body

With gentle hands.

“I heard you. It’s going to be okay.”