Portrait of a Young Man with a Bad Heart

Have I seen her?
Only through the window
across the street.

If I go meeting her
on the corner
some damned fool
will go blabbing it
to the old man and
she’ll get hell.
He’s a queer old bastard!
Every time he sees me
you’d think
I wanted to kill him.
But I figure it out
it’s best to let things
stay as they are⁠—
for a while at least.

It’s hard
giving up the thing
you want most
in the world, but with this
damned pump of mine
liable to give out⁠ ⁠…

She’s a good kid
and I’d hate to hurt her
but if she can get over it⁠—

it’d be the best thing.