Market Exchange

A chance encounter.

That's all it was.

A busy market, 

A question posed,

A passer-by who overheard.

A conversation did ensue- 

You walked with me,

I learned from you.

You shared stories of your life;

Gave me a bit of good advice.

We talked something of 

The chances of the world:

The good, the tragic, 

How the unknowable often occurs.

You encouraged a heart 

Sunk in a deep pit

Never guessing how much

He needed it.

You encouraged me 

And repolished a dream

That by disillusion had lost its gleam.

This meeting was a ray of pure light

Piercing confused darkness

With clear insight.

I do not know if we shall meet again

But, dear lady, I wish you well.

Though you may not know

How much our chat meant,

I say with certainty

It was time well spent.

Out of the Blue

I see you from a distance

And almost turn away

As I get on board bus number eight

And try to find a place,

When suddenly I find myself arrested

In the spotlight of your gaze.

Damn child! Those eyes...

I shift my gaze away from yours

And try to pretend

That nothing really happened;

That I hadn't noticed anything.

But I know that you know

What I know I can't deny-

Damn it's all there

Written in those eyes.

I take a seat and stare out the window

Wordlessly and without second glance at you.

But the streets that snake past,

With the people and buildings and trees

That adorn them,

Barely leave an imprint.

Damn! Those eyes eyes are etched into mine.

You're somewhat older

And not really my type.

...But a rose by any other name

And all that...

Damn, those eyes!

You reach your destination

And for you the bus ride comes to an end.

You step off and out of my life.

Two very different trajectories

That happened to intersect

For a brief moment.

I return to the mundane and familiar

With a sigh.

If I were the smoking type,

I think I'd need a cigarette right about now.

Damn. What a pair of eyes.