careless and smiling

i walk in
past the boss’ room
he’s already there

it’s 8.30
no it’s 9.30
it’s 9.30

such little things ought to be excused
after the big things of the weekend

it’s time we go home? when i think of the weird spell
that hit me the dizziness is insane
simply “I feel I know you”

simply “this is crazy”, like

sometimes the clouds are huddled together in disorder
and the sun hiding behind them colours them
with every possible tint of shade: crimson, gold, muddy-pink;
here is a fish, a ballerina, a snake-charmer

the sunset glows on the clock tower, flashes
on buildings, quivers on leaves, and far, far
away against the backdrop of the orange sky
a flock of birds is flying homewards —

a girl walking her dog, a tram-driver
on his first shift, an office-worker by the window
all gaze at the scene and think it terribly beautiful
but nobody can say on what the magic lies

with you, i am alive

delicate and tough
listening and talking until
silence becomes the highest expression of happiness

we say we want this to last yet
you know that i know pleasure is accidental,
unnecessary, of short duration, like everything else:
twilight dies into night, always

hey, somebody says
jetlagged from daylight savings?

we went home eventually after too many laters