Obituary

he left behind a loving wife

three kids
many close friends
and the best damn dog this side of the world

sadly
they never even knew he was alive

he never once introduced himself
to the people that would have loved him

he never spoke to those that would be missing him

he sat next to his loving wife one day
riding the city bus
on his way to the bookstore

she was sitting right next to him
smelling like apricot scented body wash
and reading Faulkner

he did not mention to her that he's always meant to
but has yet to
read Faulkner
and so she did not ask him why

they did not discuss what books they had read
or were their favorites

they did not arrange for coffee/tea the following Friday afternoon

they did not meet at the cafe
make each other laugh
or go out a few nights later to see a movie

they did not kiss after the movie
and he did not ask her if she would see him again

she did not say "yes"
they did not fall in love
and they never married

all because he didn't bother telling her that he had yet to read Faulkner

his children were jerked off into torn socks
or tissues that were flushed
into the sewer system
below the city

the close friends all worked at the organic foods grocery store
he never applied at
always afraid
he wasn't cool enough to work there

no one would like him
so he didn't even try

they never had the chance to tell him
that he was an interesting person
that fascinated them with his poetry
and even his music

they never invited him to go to an open mic
read a few verses
and they never praised him for it


his dog died alone in the pound