ELAINE UNDONE.

That is it
all over
Elaine thinks

 

on the bus
after school
she and John

 

and the kiss
all done with
everything

 

on the edge
her nerves wrought
as if each

 

hidden thought
was exposed
to everyone

 

silently
she sits near
the window

 

looking out
tears sitting
on the rims

 

of her eyes
like actors
impatient

 

to get on
to the stage
and perform

 

she’d seen John
walk on by
to get on

 

the school bus
he is there
across the

 

aisle sitting
looking out
as she is

 

wondering
what went wrong
what he’d said

 

or done wrong
at lunch time
on the field

 

at recess
he saw her
on the bus

 

sitting there
looking out
not at him

 

pretending
not to know
he is there

 

Goldfinch talks
beside him
some such stuff

 

 in his ears
empty words
soft laughter

 

all John wants
is Elaine
to have her

 

near to him
her body
close and warm

 

not this cold
far distance
between them

 

Elaine feels
all undone
all exposed

 

each nerve taut
every
thought of John

 

being near
but not near
wanting him

 

next to her
as it was
before lunch

 

the bus moves
to go home
she watches

 

scene changes
vibrations
moving tears

 

to the edge
like fragile
suicides

 

thinking on
the long fall
but her love

 

bites deeply
all undone
can’t recall.

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