Metronymous

Doors swish open and shut.
Flow of faces in and out.

Corpuscles in an artery under a
microscope as the heart pauses

between beats.

White cords dangling,
Eyes on books, ceilings,
Phones, or floors.

Anywhere but on each other.

Save for a forlorn glance
at miniskirted thigh,
and inward sigh.

While she
perfects intentional obliviousness,
eyes fixed on a Kindle.

A coincidental jumble,
Rush hour juxtaposition.

Lovers or friends, perhaps,
had they stood side by side
in a bar.
Or reached for the same book.

Here, encased in their
electronic chrysalis,
act alone in a crowd.