Tuesday, July 15, 2008

What I Didn't Know

and there I was, between the place where I
could still turn back, and that last, wild step
across the edge. The moon, a little shy
of half full, waxing, then, began to dip

down towards the streetlights, took their orange glow
like spray on tan. The road was empty but
for me, a couple trucks. I didn't know
the answer, yet I knew that it would cut

me either way. I didn't know that she
would say it, thought that I would be the one
to break. I didn't know if it would be
spray on emotion, like the color from

the streetlights on the moon, and yet I knew
that there was only one thing I could do.

And looking back, a month now come and gone
I have no doubt the choice I made was right.
The moon, half full again, was sitting on
the strip, as I rode home, and in her light,

the neon faded. When I looked her way
she touched me gently, as she slowly slid
behind the sheet of cloud. If I could say
that I'd take back a single thing I did,

I'd know I'd fucked it up. I've tried to write
this poem, and use the line about the moon
and streetlights, but I couldn't make it tight
enough. It could have been too late, too soon,

too anything, but looking at her face,
I know, at least, I'm not alone in space.

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