That Night Poem by Rae Edson

We did little more than kiss
For hours
Although, you keep reminding me of
The other thing you say I did.

I said goodbye to you
That night.
I said it to your face
I said it was enough.
It was.

I can't explain why I loved you?
I can tell you when I did:
When you came into my mother's house
At 17.
With half your behind
Visible through
The hole in your jeans.

I can tell you why I stopped:
loving you hurt me too much.
I couldn't walk away fast enough
when I saw you with your wife
Years later.

And every time, every single time
A cop got shot,
I'd go ice cold
And pray it wasn't you.

I loved you, why? I can't explain.
You always joke and think I'm lying.
But to me you'll always be
That boy I loved when I was 17.