Are You Alright?

“Are you alright?”
It’s like a standard question,
when the exact question
is stacked miles beneath
doubt. It’s eggshell
safe, it won’t fade or
missfire in a halestorm
of ignorance or emotion.

“Are you alright?”
Sequel to “Is something wrong?”
or the classic “Are you OK?”.
Said with eyebrows scrunched
and if said with the experience of
a natural born listener, garnished
with genuine sympathy and a
dash of worry.

“Are you alright?”
Is normally answered, regardless
of actual feeling with “Yes” or
for the practitioner with experience
of hiding behind words when
the outside is clearly not “alright!”,
“I’m fine, thank you”.
Proceed with caution if this is
accompanied with a glare.

“Are you alright?”
Not a question but a declaration
of concern, sincere or not.
But in the middling muddling
strains of the English Language,
A shield against the direct
and ever efficient line parents
use with worried expressions,
“I’m worried about you”

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