Without a Kiss




Without a kiss hello or a wave
goodbye he travels the streets
and cinder paths.  He walks
beside her and never sees
her stained feet and
bleeding.

Tonight the sky is dark,
the crunch of autumn
leaves softened by the
rain of this afternoon
and the last bugs of
night, sings and the
quiet footfalls
remind her of another
lover.  The quiet sigh
from you throws a pain
around her shawl clad
shoulders.

No it made no difference
finally and with her tears
she scrubbed your name
from the temple where
it had been carefully
drawn.

It is said, somewhere, that
the long walk on wet street's
leaves leave only the faint odor

of my cologne.


Caroline Shank