I should have gone to your show
like I wanted to
and watched you nervously handle the mic
and the crowd
and your excellent songs
where you sing of longing
and emptiness
and unrequited feelings
– all the things that everyone sings about
but you do so much better.

I should have followed you
into the evening
like I wanted to
and sought the adventures
that might have been therein

but the night is dark
and scary
and it’s unclear
what might be waiting out there
and you didn’t seem to wish
this gentleman to go
into the good night
with you.

So while I wanted
to be with you
you yearned
to be free
and it was clear
whose needs were paramount
at the time.

But if I knew then
what I now know
I would have stuck to my guns
searched for the fun
and heard what you’d sung.
I’d have gone out
to your show
exactly like I wanted to

and we would be

exactly where we are now.