overnight (the boy meets girl poem)
originally written 04.17.03

girl meets boy, boy meets girl.
they pass eachother day by day,
they go their ways, and
continually cross paths unknowingly.
girl meets boy (again), boy meets girl (again).
it didn't take long to realize they shared a world--
a world that seemed so colossal
suddenly got smaller--pleasantly smaller.
the sounds of tired karaoke fill the air,
girl sits in the booth concentrated in homework,
the social environment stirs alive and breathing,
boy floats over to look at girl's work.

pause.
that's the moment the earth shrank.
five seconds ago the earth wore a XXL shirt,
now it finds ample space in an S-sized sweater.

girl talks to boy, boy talks to girl.
shrink.
identical majors.
shrink.
same social circle.
shrink.
shared university.
shrrrink.

boy must depart, boy tells girl goodbye.
goodbye.
boy makes awkward attempt to get girl's number.
(whatever, it worked).

before the flight leaves town, boy stays grounded,
life doesn't happen overnight.