The globe
sits forgotten on a shelf
The whole world
stuck on a metal spike
and shoved to the back of a closet

I spin it around
run my fingers
over its mountains, valleys, oceans
streaking away snaking trails
of dust

On a globe
you don't look that far away
Across a continent
sure
on the other side of an ocean
yes
but a distance
of only a few hand-widths
When a time zone is an inch
and a country half a foot
you will never be far from me

But next to Australia
floating in the sky-blue Indian Ocean
a little key proclaims
“One inch = 660 miles”
and then I remember
we don't live on a plastic ball
stuck on a metal spike
left in the back of a closet
to gather dust