On a chilly Michigan evening
My father talks of a friendly neighbor
Who gave him tomatoes
From his backyard
"Tom is married and has a kid"
There's a dull ache in my heart
On a rainy afternoon
A mellow song plays on my radio
I stop at the red light and a school bus
Moves past my right
A street sign, in big block letters
Your last name
I look away
Sipping coffee or standing by my desk
Autumn creeps in or the rain stops
From a dimly lit window
I catch myself cursing at fate
From time to time
Wouldn't it have been easier
If you were called something unusual
Structure slightly inspired by Michael Ondaatje's "The time around scars". Happens to be one of my favorite not-quite-love poems.