Raymond Maguire’s most recent poem to appear here was “Who’s Gonna Deal” (December 2017)
What Caused This?
By Raymond Maguire
He just happened to glance skyward
Why, at this particular time?
Age makes you more sentimental?
Makes you concentrate on what ifs?
Up in that fluffy white cloud, look
Here better put on the Ray Bans
I see them and they wave to you
Still pretty from many years past
Each one evokes great memories
In spite of water under bridge
Circumstances did not align
Availability askew
What are you waiting for, ask her
Sure but which one do you suggest?
One with miraculous medal
She’s a beauty, chased her quite hard
She pirouetted, teased, tried hard
Love’s fires burned fiercely, unbanked
Lusty, intelligent, beauty
Potentially mine, please, just ask
In her final ill-fated try
Drove down, took her to class party
Even married guys looked at her
She at them, seductively too
Just being her playful self though
Then, just like that, it was over
Acutely, neither would back down.