Teary eyes

of the bar

rise to let a stranger in. 

It’s ok to miss a love 

that was as if never there like 

the brunches and walks in the parks

the “I love you’s” never heard 

the “Me, too’s” never said. 

Past is behind 

the Indiana corn fields in 

the house of seven gables 

which gave one last look  

smiled to the camera lens and

froze with all the memories of

work, loneliness, after hours, away 

from New Jersey food and friends.

You can never go back 

to put the brick missed in 

the wall 

collapsed 

but you can 

take it to the fit planet

look far into the future

down the shore 

across the ocean 

Sicily, Greece, and Spain.

Kindness has long arms

that reach far to pick you up 

when you are by your old self 

and young days are gone; 

it’s gonna be ok.