Put Yourself in My Place

Sometimes at the end of a long day of telling myself
What to do next, in order to get that thing done,
Another long hard day, spent doing
Whatever comes to me, one thing after the other,
In the order in which they come,
Another day like the other days, just the same
As they were, only this day
Came on this day, when the others refused to come,
Sometimes at such a time, it's easy to see
Just what we all see, that I alone
Am alone here, on my porch step
When the day is done; when what's over is over
For me as for others, I alone can say
It was all my doing, knowing that while I did
Just what we all did, only I did
Just what I've done.
Now the bird that I see flies just like the rest do,
Only this one flies, while the others all fly.
Now the woman in greeting waves like a woman
Among women who wave, only this one waves.
Now the car I see parked, that could as well be anywhere,
Could only be parked here, because that's where it's parked,
And now I see why, just like we all do,
Like everyone sees, while only I see.
I am looking at a tree stump. Anyone could say this.
Except that my words are mine, they could just as well
Be anyone's; they could just as well
Be yours, only these aren't your words.
I am thinking about my porch step. There is room here
For both of us, there is room enough in my thought
For you too to be thinking this, but if this thought were yours
It could never be otherwise; my house is mine,
And yours is what yours is, and if I asked
You in, you would only be in.
Sometimes at the end of a long day of telling myself
Which thought is mine, in order to think just that thought,
A way of thinking like the other ways, just the same
As they are, only this way
Is my way, while the others are all mine,
At a time such as this, seeing you smile
Because I say you do, it's easy for me to think
You could never be otherwise; your eyes are yours,
And mine see what mine see, and if you put yourself
In my place, you'll see you're only in my place.