petals from the trash

you picked the wilting flower
out of the garbage;
I tucked it
behind my ear
and when it fell,
looped the stem
through the buttonhole of my
denim jacket.

i led you to the roof,
out the window
and up the fire escape;
you said your perspective
was off
that you couldn't tell
how far away things were
and that you missed me.

we walked side by side
down ninth avenue,
stopped on the corner,
deciding which way to go.
we went in the same direction
but ended up in different places.