The first heart I ever broke

was my own

you could call it a ricochet

I’ll go with stupid

 

though immature is a

reasonable copout when I

am feeling self-charitable

 

at nineteen, we were

in love – not lust

well defined lines obeyed

 

then one night she told me

a family secret

I should’ve rolled with

 

I lost her because

I didn’t know any better

didn’t know much of anything

 

could I have done better?

She left, I stayed. Should I have

followed? There were days…

 

Mutual friends said she

thought I could take the truth

why I didn’t remains a mystery

 

She broke my heart, as I hers

collateral damage

of unintended refraction

– Mark L. Lucker
©  2016