Poem 110

True story … nice guy … a musing on fate, arbitrariness of life, bad luck …

Lee

You were dead already
when I met you in town
your tickets back
already in your pocket beside
the tickets out
		         Frankfurt
			      New York
			       and home

you smiled
             couldn't believe your luck
told me how difficult it was
to buy winter clothes
			            in February

you were dead when you surprised me
by shaking my hand
                        a real
businessman
               looked like you were going
somewhere

somewhere other than raining
into the sea
              off Hawaii
while your luggage turned back
to land safely