you see them
in the corners
in the crannies of the lunchroom
you see them
alone
sitting with their backpacks
alone

and they eat quickly
racing the clock so they
can run to the library
they eat quickly so they
can go back into hiding
in the pages of a book
or behind a computer monitor

and they hunch over their food like
a small wild animal
that wants to finish before
its dinner is taken away
by something bigger

like a small wild animal
that must eat
before it is eaten
and they curl up into themselves
when strangers
(everyone)
pass by
like they are worried
that someone will interrupt them

or even worse
that nobody will

and they stare at the table
like they don’t want to be seen
they stare silently at the table
or dart quick glances around the room
the roaring rowdy room
like they’re being watched

they aren’t