newest poem
ice cream and yoshinoya
- at noon the parking lot was crowded
- but i always made the effort
- of fighting for a space
- her hour limited
- but cherished
- whatever stress the morning may have piled on her
- that hour
- took it away
- while i enjoyed her company
- as she’d smile and talk of our life
- together
- over yoshinoya
- or
- a melting sweet treat
- from the ice cream place next door
- the days always seemed so much brighter
- during that hour
- she would laugh as if there was nothing
- threatening her peace
- yet i was drifting away
- in slow
- drawn out
- pieces
- so arbitrary
- the places that come to define a relationship
- like yoshinoya
- so innocent how things begin
- for us it was takeout and a picnic
- on campus
- when the two of us were but students
- young and full of promise
- like that hour
- from her busy day
- yoshinoya held us together
- words falling ceaselessly in cheerful chats
- yet
- did i ever really listen?
- beyond the smile that would hold me still
- her life was in transition
- an adventurous entrepreneurial spirit
- was being transformed
- into a punching the clock day in day out eyes on retirement administrator
- her new role seemed to excite her
- she appeared content with the direction
- her life was now taking
- was it the stability
- of the job
- or of the two of us
- our differences were clearly apparent
- to any who shared our company
- for but a moment
- but as much as those differences pulled on us
- they also united us
- in some mysterious way
- as if we were challenging the universe
- to a crazy game of dare
- and oh we so loved the company of one another
- that we knew the universe could do its worst
- to no avail
- it is those almost forgotten moments
- that build the lives of two into something magical
- and the same moments we painfully recall
- with leaden weights in our heart
- and the warm salt of tears
- that burn the scars into us
- of the careless decision
- made
- that took it all away