LOST OPPORTUNITY.

Occasionally as you amble along
A busy sidewalk in New York
And you’re forced to stop
At the lights, you glance across
The road to see who’s waiting
On the other side, staring out
To see if it’s anyone you know,
(Unlikely) whether friend or foe
Or Jew or Negro or German or
Italian or whatever, (your father

Once said you can meet the whole of
The world on a sidewalk in New York)
But today, now, at this moment, you’re
Standing and this woman stands nearby
And for some reason you feel like you
Want to put out your hand and touch hers,
But you don’t, it’s just that for once
In your life, you want to do something
Spontaneous, something new, and you
Wonder as you stand there, whether

She’s menstruating or if she’d had
Sex in the last twenty-four hours,
Or if like you, it’s been eight or nine
Months since the last and that not
So earth moving, or whether like
You she’s lost a baby and even now
Can still feel that final push and that
Last moment you had her in your arms
Lifeless and yet warm and soft, and you
Want to ask her have you? But the lights

Change and she’s moving on and you’ll
Not get to ask her, not get the chance
To hold her hand or exchange miseries
Or memories or just say hello and have
A nice day, because she’s moved off
And away, and all you can think to say
At this ticking time moment, but don’t is,
I like your hair and the look in your eyes,
But the moment’s gone and that opportunity
To express a deep grief goes off and dies.