"Well, why, hello my beautiful lady.
I was wondering, you know
ever since but especially lately
what you'd think
about going out
and having a drink.
A drink,
as in 'you with me'
obviously, hopefully, maybe…?
Question mark."
There, I said it.
Step one to our marriage.
Now she only needs to incline
and we'll be happy
until the end of time.
Be together forever.
Live the perfect romance.
get married, buy a mansion.
have kids, grow old,
enjoy our pension.
But before we should be together
it took her, what felt like forever
to formulate her response.
Meanwhile, there I stood.
silent, lifeless
quiet, uneasy.
Long after I had disclosed my feelings
she gave me a funny look
and said those three words
that once heard,
I should remember for good.
My heart increased in pace
as my mind was to let go
leaving its usual place
for her words' lasting echo.
An echo that would sweep me off my feet
and lift me off my shoes
if it would only mean
what I had wanted it to.
But I was mistaken
thinking we'd once go out drinking.
For the hurtful truth
was her saying 'I am taken.'
rather than 'I love you.'
'I am taken.'
Three words to hit me with their dire deed,
to hit me like an anvil.
As I realized that on the entire street
eveyone took their moment to stand still
and admire me.
Admire me for the folishness of my recent inquiry.
"Why",
they shrugged.
"Why look at you
the obvious fool.
Doomed to fail
too naive to see
that the girl you hailed
was not what you wanted her to be.
Now consider,
you brave hero,
had you not asked to go out with her
someone else were today's weirdo."
With the message delivered
and their point taken
I was left gazing
as they continued rushing thence and hither.
It came so easy to let
the loud burden of shame
help to forget
the blessing in dodged regret,
the blessing in avoiding the haunting stain
from not knowing
where a road might have been going.
The loud burden of shame
too ably clouds that the truth is
asking 'Why did I do this?'
is less of a sin,
than wondering 'What would have been?'
But blinded as I was,
I did not see the latter
since my recent loss
was still the focal matter.