Walking through the overgrown grass

watching the winged dust motes

float away

I pick up the walnuts

 

Some lay clean, dry,

on top of the grass

These are easy to find and pick up

 

Some are covered by the

same long blades that

tickle my ankles

and I barely spot them

 

Some are still sort of encased in their skin

the pulp around the hard shell

not yet all pulled off

and I have to help them

shed it, but underneath

they’re mostly ready

 

Some are green and the shell

is still

firmly attached

They aren’t ready yet

so I leave them be

 

And it made me think

how much people

are like walnuts

 

Some are out and ready

and know who they are

Confident

 

Some are sure of themselves

but get hidden

in the background sometimes

You have to look for them

 

Some aren’t quite comfortable

just yet

and need a little encouragement

to get them going

 

And some

you just have to be patient,

because they’re not ready yet

Still figuring themselves out

and not ready to share