The Proposal

The callous sun beats down on him like a bully
one eye open: "what hour of the day is it?"
barely there, he can not stretch himself out fully
ringing headache like a stray cat back to visit

The aftertaste of courage seeps out his ears
stupid ring in his palm stares back at him defiant
refusing to misplace itself amongst his fears
he planned to bail but fate had long snared its client

In time her train pulls into the station
foggy steam blackening the already gray sky
one never is quite prepared for such a situation
we skip the "how?" and merely cater to the "why?"

Throngs fliter out, the tension is numbing
"Who the hell are all these people who are not you?"
Suddenly, he remembers that she's not coming
he never knew her, never let himself want to

He just tried to do what he knew was right
no matter how much beer he needed to do it
he'd waited all day and drank through the night
she wasn't coming and at least now he knew it

To think that love weighed no more than a hollow ring
he tossed it where nothing good would ever grow
and closed his eye hoping death would be following
"You're not coming and at least now i know."