aaron, i want to tell you about the
red-haired boy i saw standing in the rain.

while the other students ran to class, he
paused and stared into the trees and i
paused and stared at him and we might
have smiled.

i want to tell you about the cardinal that
we were pausing for, and how the red of
its wingtip matched the colour of my scarf--

but i know if i pick up the phone and tell you
about my cardinal and my red-haired boy and
my rain, you will sigh and reminisce and tell
me that "isn't that nice," and "yes, it's raining
here too," and, "i always was attracted to
redheads."

and you always were attracted to blondes.
and blue eyes.
and short girls with slender hips and small feet.
and anyone who doesn't
look like me.

aaron, i'm holding my phone and standing in
the rain and wishing that you loved cardinals
and brown hair as much as you love inadvertently
breaking my heart.