Masquerade

I keep thinking I see you
across the street, hurrying along,
you’re too busy to see me.

Strange, to think of the dead being busy,
people to see, places to go, so many
appointments in the calendar of eternity.

I used to ‘see’ you when you were alive,
I mean when you weren’t there. I carry you
around like a photo in a wallet.

I’m amazed that so many people
turn out to look a bit like you,
so they can, fleetingly, masquerade as you.

It’s a good word masquerade it has just the right
number of syllables and that juicy squer sound
in the middle makes it luscious in the mouth.

You left the dance before the slow numbers;
still, the slow dances were always a bit
of a let-down, if you ask me.

Anyway, I mustn’t keep you,
just thought I’d let you know
I’ve been thinking about you.

Colin Pink co-chairs the Barnes & Chiswick Poetry Stanza. His poems have appeared in a wide range of magazines and four collections, most recently Typicity and Wreck of the Jeanne Gougy. He posts on Instagram @colinpinkpoet.