when you walk down an underpass
with a beautiful woman still a teenager:
stand away from her,


rest your shoulders against the tiles,
set a finger into the grout
and smile.
Twist your nail until it breaks.
Still smile.
And if you still want
her like I did
then  break another
nail
and when all
trace of nails and smiles
have withered
withered
from those tiles


kiss her
kiss her
once more


kiss her
yet once more for me.