Easy Listening

Tired of spite,
what we hid is a gift, momentary
mercy stretching into years.
Here on this bus
time is flooding back.
The buzz of that kid’s
earphone one seat ahead
plays “Candle in the Wind”.
You seem to live your life
That valiantly, meaning:
not at all, meaning:
those were the days of wine & roses
forsaken due to tenderness.
Or so we wanted to think.
Sure, fear was a thorn, the bad patch
of past losses before we met
& disclosed little.

What song is that
your old stereo’s blaring now?
Isn’t it the one I put on a cassette,
(remember them?)—
        Walking after Midnight…
        Looking for you…
How absurd to still be at it &—
        Send in the Clowns,
(don't bother)
not saying a thing.