Comfort Zone 

by Jacques Fleury

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there.”-anonymous

Two men are stuck together 

under the subway in the dark,
One man says to the man next to him 

“Since we’re gonna be stuck here together, 

we might as well have some banter…

so what’s your name” the black man 

asks the white man standing next to him
The white man responds,
“My name is Klearly  White…”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. White,  

My name is Klearly Black”
” So… Do you identify as white?” Mr. Black  asks…

 “No, I’m just a spirit inside a white body . ..
How about you? Do you identify as black?” Mr. White asks,

“No, I too am just a soul inside a black body” says  Mr Black,
“So now what?”  Mr. White asks,
“I have an idea! Why don’t you tell me more about what makes you you? 

Tell me something about your humanity….”  says Mr. Black,

“Hmmm” Mr. White tilts his head in thought then says,
“I love walking in the woods, I love being one with nature…”
” What a coincidence!” Mr. Black says  excitedly,   

“Me too! Perhaps we can go for walks together during comfortable weather…”
“Sounds good…” says Mr. white “Let’s exchange phone numbers…”
” Sounds good…” says Mr. black
Then, suddenly the lights come back on 

with one big swoosh and the train sliding doors part open…
The two men say their goodbyes then walk

     their separate ways… 

        One went North, the other went South…

Attn: Updated Bio:

Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured and internationally published Haitian American poet, theater reviewer, educator, author of numerous books of essays, reviews, fiction, poetry and literary arts student through Harvard University. He was chosen among over 4, 000 competitors from 83 countries as the Recipient of the International Naji Naaman Literary Prize for Creativity (2026) and a Certificate of Participation for his “…esteemed contribution of poetry to the anthology Water: The Source of Life (Volume IV) presented by La Fenetre De Paris. 

It’s Always Sunrise Somewhere and Other Stories among other titles are available at all Massachusetts public libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, Wyoming University, Askews and Holts Library Services, the leading library supply specialist in the United Kingdom, The MIT Press Bookstore, The Harvard Bookstore and the oldest poetry bookstore in America: The Grolier Poetry Book Shop (est. 1927)  has hosted great American poets E. E. Cummings and Alen Ginsberg and online bookstores worldwide such as Bookshop dot com, amazon etc…