The Ride There

The engagement photo: her hand,

the ring, his shoulder,

the caption just a string of hearts.

I had a whole speech.

Practiced it in April on the highway,

both hands on the wheel,

the light on Geary going red

and then green and then red again

while the sentences formed and collapsed

and formed.

At the restaurant I said happy birthday

and passed the bread.

Now the speech sits wrong in my mouth.

I can feel the shape of it—

the part where I said I think you know,

the part where I said I've been trying to—

The light keeps changing.

Both hands.