Along the Staircase When we passed along the staircase During intermission, crowded and Noisy after the sombre act I thought perhaps you hadn’t noticed, Hemmed in as we were and going Opposite Until that slight turn of your cheek, So familiar, Just as you reached the landing And I disappeared above Around me in the hall, The red plush chairs slowly filled, And I watched every entrance below The orchestra began to tune Where were you? And with whom? And why, since you hated opera? All was din and dark and Ordinarily I would have been absorbed By the pretended fires onstage, But I was sure – or was I? Past dirty looks and unyielding knees I stumbled, through a door and Down the stairs I ran The soprano was magnificent in death, Even from the empty lobby I could hear her, pausing But it was nighttime air I wanted And your lips drawing blood again, Fool that I was, so late And my god, there you were Right outside on the steps having a smoke: I thought you had quit for good ________________________________________________________________________ Emanuel E. García, Sojourns, 2014 |