to gladys

it's an age-old story
of a love that has ended
before it has begun,
but allow me the temerity
of retelling it
on kodak xtralife paper

she only wished to know him more
than how he allowed himself
to be known,
she only wished to portray
the scene she has time
and
again
played in her mind

of the swift waves
of the nasty sand
of the moonlit night
of the bikini she bought just for the occassion

she had chased him in between deep breaths
she had played the game
she had been a faceless warrior
bereft of shame

but he will not allow himself
to be known,
instead he ran away
to a place she will not go

and now it has ended,
sad that he had not known
that for a good nine months
he and she (for there is no 'they')
have shared a story
on kodak xtralife paper