distraction

by Linda M. Crate

her laughter is obnoxious
not the sort
that is infectious,
but the kind that distracts all
thoughts in my mind
from forming;
she taps her foot impatiently
i see it out of the corner
of my eyes as
i try to focus on anything
but the people around me—
i find the more
she laughs
the more irritated i get
as if this stranger
has declared
a war against my sanity,
but i don't know her;
as she swings her chair around
to stare
can't help but wonder
why am i the
strange one?
maybe it's written on my
head in some invisible ink
that i should be an outcast,
and she should sing
songs off tune.