Kurt R.A. Giambastiani

At 6 o’clock he meets his bus
At 7:10 she meets hers

Two youthful hearts that

once shared a summer’s heat
now live in parallel lines
separated

by 20 years
by 70 minutes

At 6AM he

builds a career
loses some hair
sends a son off to college
separates amicably from a woman he barely knows

At 7:10 she

bears a daughter
cuts off her long hair
gets her masters
buries a loveless marriage beneath work and soccer tournaments

One day in March he

overlooks his bedside clock
fails to spring ahead
arrives at 6 (his time)
catches the 7:10 (her time)
boards amid sleepy-eyed strangers
spies a familiar face
utters

a word
a name
a question

and at that moment

parallel lines
intersect