The person awaited who never came.
Lovers who took too long to make up.
Lovers who made love too soon.

The call that came two minutes too late.
The call that came back still later.
The afternoon conversation that was
Exactly
Two minutes too long.
The morning conversation that went
On and on.

The letter that went unanswered.
The reply that said too little too late.
The response that said too much.

The absence of the knock at the door
The expectant sound of the key
That did not turn in the lock
On the day the sun sank
One hour before midnight.

The petals of the flowers on the table
Fell so early that day,
There was none left to fall
In the night
In the silence that listened
For the tick of a clock