red heat rushes, shading cheek and filling head
with untoward glimpses into futures that cannot be
bowed head, hair covers eyes that can't take it anymore
one more rejection, and they'll break;
. . . . . . . . . . . . .one more sad smile, and he'll disappear.

flashes of pretty faces and pretty words;
he blinks eyes shut. eyes that have seen more pain
. . . . . . through the viel of unkempt hair
than most see in a lifetime.

silent screams covered by a mumble of time (without a clock in sight)
and he staggers out of her life.
eyes, once so bright, squeeze shut against the tide . . .
not in public . . .
but he can't help himself.