he clutched his fists
either like
a man
about to scream
at the heavens
or the way
he would a newspaper
with the announcement
of his former flame’s
engagement

it didn’t matter which

there was a fire
of loss
so intense in his eyes
as he stared
out into nothing
that anything
caught in that gaze
was immediately fried
to cinder

i kept walking
but knew
i had been there before