an unrehearsed universe

Forgiveness

The present
we already met
sparked flamed burned to cinders
despite desperate firefighting
warm water
wormed into the foundation

Your eyes in mine
hands at our sides
awkwardness creating
almost a half-foot of room

Your eyes on mine
what is was we already knew
quinquennial
of the day you or I left

What would be
we could not know
silence boding well and ill
at one time or another

The present
the heat of complicated lust
the heat of everyone else
soaked through your shirt
melted the ice in my gin

My eyes in yours
a push from behind
sweat that tastes of tears 
gathered in the corner
of my mouth

My eyes on yours
yesterday
we groped in corridors
tomorrow
a graduation a wedding
a birth a death

today we master
the art of artfully careless hellos