the Euphuistic Frog

i saw her again today

she brushed past me

close enough that i could

feel her

heat and smell her

hair, though

she’d not seen me and

too soon was

gone

and i couldn’t help

but ponder

the randomness of it

for it had been twice in  

as many days, when

prior to

it had been

not once

for a year since i had

forgotten how to write

and how to

want

since i had

forgotten how to

breathe.  and

i did not call to her

did not stop to ask how

she is

or invite her to

tea, for fear of

her

of my shame and

my hunger

for her

eyes and her voice and

her skin and her

mind

and her mouth

because my curse is this

void

and there can be no

rapture

in the wake of my

denial

of the fear

and the lies

and the vacuous

verse

of this random and

ruthless

offal