Connection failure

Green had a kindly crossword solver's face
large nostrils
evaded being introduced
and so I automatically assumed we'd make great friends

and it would happen easily
romance
the buttery fudgey warmth of holding hands.

three chapters later
declarations in some secret autumn place
"I love and trust you!"

gold leaves
twigs roots
shared flu

I pictured us with a private joke
loading the boot outside the supermarket
driving into silent falling snow

Summer by the river
not bothering with the waterproof outer tent
eating from a can at midnight with one fork

And he never burping
in that indulgent way like Gray
whose legs splayed out in baggy shorts
taking the scissors to his feet as he watched TV

And Green would surely savour food, not stuff his face.

And I thought that we would probably sit down
each day to a meal of sex
too physical for use in poems
too energetic to take place in bed.

So everything about the man
and his brown eyes
potentially appealed to me.

Came as a blow to know
how I was seen by Green
that day
according to Gray :
the snooty woman
who had set his teeth on edge
filing her nails.

I only do that when there's nothing much to say.