Older steps

A young woman almost fell,

but she did not almost fall for me.

Oh, it seems the last step on the stairway was missing,

or, perhaps, there should have been just one more.

So she just stumbled, really,

never her supple and slinking body arcing

over sideways and entangling with mine.

Oh, I would have caught her in my arms -

if only I could have.

And then, instead,

when I did ask her if she were alright,

she said ‘yes’ –

and then, ‘thank you’.

So that was something.

And then she walked off up to class

as if nothing had happened

and I drifted off down to the street.

Oh, it was just as well,

I said to myself.

I wouldn’t know what to do

with a modern young woman,

anyway. And besides,

I couldn’t afford her tuition.