MET MY OLD LOVER
IN THE GROCERY STORE
THE SNOW WAS FALLING
CHRISTMAS EVE
I STOLE BEHIND HER
IN THE FROZEN FOODS
AND I TOUCHED HER
ON THE SLEEVE
SHE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE
THE FACE AT FIRST
BUT THEN HER EYES
FLEW OPEN WIDE
SHE WENT TO HUG ME
AND SHE SPILLED
HER PURSE
AND WE LAUGHED
UNTIL WE CRIED
WE TOOK HER
GROCERIES TO THE
CHECKOUT STAND
THE FOOD WAS TOTALLED
UP AND BAGGED
WE STOOD THERE
LOST IN OUR
EMBARRASSMENT
AS THE CONVERSATION
DRAGGED
WE WENT TO
HAVE OURSELVES
A DRINK OR TWO
BUT COULDN'T FIND
AN OPEN BAR
WE BOUGHT A SIX-PACK
AT THE LIQUOR STORE
AND WE DRANK IT
IN HER CAR
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO INNOCENCE
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO NOW
AND TRIED TO
REACH BEYOND
THE EMPTINESS
BUT NEITHER ONE
KNEW HOW
SHE SAID SHE'D
MARRIED HER
AN ARCHITECT
WHO KEPT HER
WARM AND SAFE AND DRY
SHE WOULD HAVE
LIKED TO SAY
SHE LOVED THE MAN
BUT SHE DIDN'T
LIKE TO LIE
I SAID THE YEARS
HAD BEEN A
FRIEND TO HER
AND THAT HER EYES
WERE STILL AS BLUE
BUT IN THOSE EYES
I WASN'T SURE
IF I SAW DOUBT
OR GRATITUDE
SHE SAID SHE SAW ME
IN THE RECORD STORES
AND THAT I MUST
BE DOING WELL
I SAID THE AUDIENCE
WAS HEAVENLY
BUT THE TRAVELING
WAS HELL
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO INNOCENCE
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO NOW
AND TRIED TO
REACH BEYOND
THE EMPTINESS
BUT NEITHER ONE
KNEW HOW
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO INNOCENCE
WE DRANK A
TOAST TO TIME
RELIVING IN OUR
ELOQUENCE
ANOTHER
AULD LANG SYNE
THE BEER WAS EMPTY
AND OUR TONGUES
WERE TIRED
AND RUNNING OUT
OF THINGS TO SAY
SHE GAVE A
KISS TO ME AS
I GOT OUT
AND I WATCHED HER
DRIVE AWAY
JUST FOR A MOMENT
I WAS BACK AT SCHOOL
AND FELT THAT
OLD FAMILIAR PAIN
AND AS I TURNED
TO MAKE MY
WAY BACK HOME
THE SNOW TURNED
INTO RAIN