2005-05-15 - 3:34 p.m.
Parting
(for dan-dan)
After the concert we smiled to each other
and though I was not in love,
I thought of you afterwards. Later, in the market,
we met again, and again you asked me my age
and told me your name, beginning
my puzzlement and embarrassment.
The night after a movie I wanted to kiss you
you shyly giggled, so we parted
shaking hands instead. Now it seems
you have been parting from me ever since.
The night after our last concert we stood in the spring snow.
I watched your hair fill up with stars
and knew I wanted you to stay, later regretting
I did not express my thought before you remembered to leave
for someplace else.
In the days to come you will be living far away from here.
I will envision you among the cherry blossoms
along the Potomic, or somewhere in New York.
You say you have not made up your mind
but I know you have,
so that even were I to travel to China
I’ll probably not see you again.
