Neal

I dreamt that we were sitting
on top of the picnic table
again
under an unreal sky

and she smiled and said
“I have surveyed all possible futures:
There is nothing but ruin.”

I didn’t know what to make of it
then,

but I haven’t seen or heard
from her
since.

Last night, among the neon
and the noise,
they crowned me:
The King of Lost Causes.

and as i stood
beneath the stars

all the meanings
began to
change

i think you know
that i am not the praying type

but i hope you see
that you are everything
i would ask for.

she would take out her guitar
and play simple
sad
songs
trying to say with the music
what she couldn’t say
with words.

i couldn’t hear it
then.

but now
i know,

too late.