Bastille Day is the birthday of a friend
I no longer see no longer hear from
one who moved on made other friends
felt no need or desire for what I had to offer
after all our intimacy and playfulness
the meals cooked together, confidences shared
the easy particularities, the elegant gifts.
I’ve done the same to others though
I should know better having felt
the pain of being the one who is left,
the one no longer needed, the one
surprised by a sudden deep hole.
How carelessly we move through life
how brutally keeping each our own small
universe spinning as needed sloughing off
nonessential bits at random with the
heartless nonchalance of cold untouching planets.