A Working Relationshop

We hardly noticed, at the time,
years passing between us –
the meetings, the memos,
the trivia of work.

Nor later, in friendship,
the drinks and discussions
as we explored
each other’s thoughts,

and even the time
we danced at Christmas,
so reticent
within each other’s grasp,

we did not know
what colleagues saw,
until in restaurants and bars,
together in the dark of taxicabs,

and after long farewells
while waiting for a train,
we recognised the unadmitted love
and knew that parting was imperative.

But then
I had not thought
such ordinary loss
would touch me now.