South Lawn

At Freshman Orientation, It's All or Nothing

I saw you, and I thought

there’s the girl I’m going to marry

said this boy now man I no longer know

South Lawn

still air white tent hot august night

dj spinning Creedence

we weren’t dancing and I

knew his prediction was wrong. I had a boyfriend

and didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

If he’d been right

(imagine here kids sadsack spaniel eyes the color of Yoohoo)

Sipping beer I had not yet developed a taste for. I was 17.

One night

I was young                                I

knew this boy mistook his future

for my past                         already trailing behind me

gazing sunset over the Hudson

plotting escape

that might keep our wildly different outcomes

intact.