Should have done

Causality is a funny thing

the way that every small decision

every step forward

back

to the side

can mean life or death

or worse.

Ze’s gone away

because of every step

that ze chose

and I chose

because I didn’t say

“Let’s go tomorrow instead”

or

“I think I’ll avoid the freeway”

or

“Why don’t you drive this time?”

All the stories tell us

the gift of prophecy is a curse

but I don’t believe in fate

only in choices

only in steps.

Icarus

I told you once

warned you that

you flew too high,

wax from your wings dripping on my face

that

the forbidden fruit

was out of your reach.

I told you once

that you would fall from heaven.

I told you so,

but I think you already knew.

Should have known

Should have known

that

their love was unraveling

that

soon it would be yanked from under his feet

when Marlow stopped smiling when he came home from work

when Marlow forgot his birthday

when Marlow spent more and more time away.

Perhaps

if he’d known

things would be different

if he’d brought a dozen red roses instead of just the one

if he’d done more to show his love

perhaps Marlow wouldn’t have taken up with a stranger

perhaps they’d still be a family

perhaps their family would even have grown

perhaps he wouldn’t

now

be alone.

Perhaps the woman in the wind

wouldn’t be whispering

now

in his ear

telling him all the things he did wrong

telling him all the things he could have done better.

Perhaps.