Except

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Except

Except for the usual
small talk we walked
up to the Park
without waking the thrush
clash of our minds.

I watched
you from behind
your hair shone
in the green stem
of evening.

A shock
wave of fused
blood stirred
fearfully in me.
A finger probe

of breeze whipped
your hair into
a frown as we
felt the glass fragility
of deer retreating

into the dark
shyness of trees.
An omen of
Magpies fluttered
coal-blue and

banner-white as we
stood together
my hands boy
shy stammering
into paralysis.

[Steven]

Jimmy,

But for the absence of "the usual," your observations, presumably, would
not have taken place. Ah, the possibilities of these kinds of silent moments.