LOVE ON THE BUS

i think you were ahead of me in the queue
i can’t be sure
but when i got on
i sat down and you were right there
across the gap
i saw you for just a moment before i turned
but you were already stamped on my brain
a girl on the bus that i’d like to know

i looked again
across the gap
you were finishing a sigh
and the outside light danced in your eyes
then they caught mine
for the longest fifth of a second

i panicked
i put my eyes on my shoes
out the window
on my phone
where are you supposed to put these things
i must’ve looked mad
but you wouldn’t minded
you would’ve laughed and called me silly
oh how i wish that
this was too common an occurrence
i was too common an occurrence
i suppose

but then i felt your gaze
across the gap
i could just feel it
hot on my cheek
with a flick of my eyes i could have seen it

the bus stopped
you stood up
you looked back at your seat
and walked down
along the gap
out the door
and through the raindrops on the window
i saw your shape walk past
look up
you didn’t

Patrick Shead
Picture Rupert Loydell