He tries not to cling too

Much but does she

Feel what takes wing

Inside him when he

Looks at her?

Ask if they’re ok

Afraid of the answer,

Afraid to even ask

The question

For fear of the answer

He remains apart

Because to become

An open clumsiness

Invites its own defeat

So they breathe one another in

Like a shared cigarette,

He watches her,

Hoping she might see

Or hoping she isn’t

And everything is

OK

Ok?

Ok.