What did I tell you, Mary,
when we met?
After the exchange of names
later in that café,
whose name I’ve forgotten.
Over Mateus,
I told you a truth
until then unspoken.
That my country is a diaspora of hearts,
members of my tribe,
that here and there I see
and share
an exchange of eyes,
touch of hands,
gesture of acknowledgment
to fellow travelers
passing in the crowd.
But I never said a word
of these to others,
until we met,
and then knew,
my regret would be
not to say,
love at first sight is you,
and you can go your way.
I made no claim.
You had no obligation
to a man touched by you,
so fanciful in thought.
But for life
I will be changed,
and so,
we talked and talked,
two strangers talking,
looking from the highest place
they could stand,
and saw the world as one place
where they lived,
and at the center where they stood,
saw each other perfectly.