There’s this couple <br />they’re standing there, not close enough <br />to be about to kiss and separate, <br />one for the train, the other <br />more slowly back, but close <br /> <br />people pass them, one way, the other, <br />they’re still; they’re calm, it’s an important decision but <br />they’re sensible people, they’re <br />going to make this together, <br />give each other space, take it <br />slowly so that <br /> <br />years and children on from now <br />they’ll look back and know <br />they did the right thing at the time <br />whether they’re together then or <br />happily two different families, <br />two different partners, <br />no regrets. <br /> <br />if they’d been standing like that for <br />just five seconds, they’d be simply <br />deciding whether there was time <br />to grab a quick snack or whether <br />to risk what’s on the train but <br /> <br />they’re still standing there; time <br />is less important than that <br />they should decide together so that <br />they’ll feel the same way forever <br />as they feel soon, when the moment comes <br />that they know what they’ll do <br /> <br />this is not a film, or some poem which <br />has a beginning and an end <br />it's now and it’s two lives <br />and I, an onlooker drawn in <br />a passing glance, into these two lives, <br />am caring for these two people <br />I know nothing about, so much that <br />I cannot bear to know the outcome <br />in case I know too much <br />even though I know they’ll make <br />the right decision. I <br />walk on, slowly, as if I’m <br />carrying something important that <br />I’ll unpack later.<br /><br />Michael Shepherd<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/0015-the-couple-on-the-station-platform/
