Before

Before.

Talk to me like last time.

Before.

Anxiously, as if you might hide your aside, your observation,

as if I could tell that you had made a snide critique

at the conference, of my black shoes with the blue suit.

Talk to me like last time.

Before.

Don’t cross the street to avoid me

or to say hello.

Glance at me, pull your coat around your ears

and use your eyebrows to talk about the weather.

Like you did.

Before.

Carry on to the post-box just as if he might,

yet again,

neglect to send me a card.

Glance at me like last time.

Before.