summer had just begun
and I sat on a lawn chair
breathing in the warm
evening air, smelling
cigarettes, listening to
the power lines crackle
across the street, and
enjoying myself for
what seemed the first
time in months

it took ***** to walk back in there
and say “sorry fellas, but things
just didn’t work out between us
and I seem to have won you guys
in the divorce,” and I did do that,
and they said, “oh, I’m sorry to
hear that” and they really meant
it but later they would ask about
why and how and I would never
tell them because I think they’re
happier without knowing, they’ll
just never know that

it’s the end of summer now and
they’ve stopped asking about her,
maybe they forgotten about her?
probably not but they certainly
know not to ask, so maybe now
I can tell them, because she’s
not going to show up now

life’s looking up and I can laugh
without worrying that I shouldn’t
be laughing, I’m enjoying life
and life seems to be enjoying me
and maybe that’s the lesson here,
that life rewards those who reward
it, those who seize the day, even
if the day is done