Anonymity
here you can hide
behind headphones and curls
bench presses and extensions
fist bumps come your way
from strangers
carrying their own weight
of storied struggle
in this judgment free zone
where posturing is prohibited
bodies are celebrated
and we can be alone in a crowd
or befriended by the one
on the machine next door
you got this
they say with a smile
and they don’t know
the strength of their words
thank you, my spotter,
whose name I’ve forgotten
(Thank You, Spotter; 2021, gklimovitz) #advent AdventWord