“Hello”

photo by Mai Lei Long

“Hello”

by second year Mai Lei Long

When I see a stranger on the street,

I say, “hello.”

At the crosswalk, in a bus seat,

I give a small smile.

Through the hustle and bustle

of a busy day,

I always try to muscle

a little hand wave.

One never knows

another person’s pains,

So—I stop and say, “hello”

—a smile goes a long way.