E A D G B

She called him Felix

Which meant 'lucky' to her

He was a middle-distance runner

She didn't take him seriously

But shifted in her seat when he walked by

He thought her plain

But sensual in some way

She licked the corner of her mouth thoughtfully

Wore her skirts above the knee

He told her a story about a pair of green and gold yarn gloves

That he'd been given

It was a sting of recognition

She realized he'd given those gloves to her

When he left it had the feel of a little tradition

Lash solitude to the wind

But when you leave again

Leave something of you with them

Tie your fishing lines to the fence posts

And do your best to reel them in

The candle flickers

You measure morals by unsturdy things

Tear leaves off of the sycamore

Pin down the butterfly's wings

"I never knew it got this cold in August

Here in Tuscon"

"Only in the evening

There's nothing here to hold the heat

The sun goes down

It floats off and is lost

Anyway, you've got a jacket

Tell me where you got that necklace"

He looked across the parking lot

At the path under the highway

At the mouth of it a man slung bags of cans across his back

He coughed, and he turned back to the table

She told him a story of a hand embroidered pillow

She'd been given

It was with a sting of recognition

He realized she'd given him that pillow

When she left it had the feel of a little tradition

So lash solitude to the wind

But when you leave again

Leave something of you with the

Tie your fishing lines to fence posts

And do your best to reel them in

The candle flickers

You measure morals by unsturdy things

Tear leaves off of the sycamore

And pin down the butterfly's wings