It was worth a shot

It’s worse because it’s summer,
bare legs at every turn,
pale, bronzed, or chocolate skin,
flaunting the fruits of their labor,
begging you to adore the deft shadow
where lean muscles define the line of sight,
and draw your eyes ever deeper –

not wanting to be a creep, you turn,
and look to your woman,
the one you used to call your lover.
She’s busy,
focused, then unfocused, and agitated,
you try to console her,
you try to care for her,
but you’re fighting the rising feeling in your chest,
building like an inappropriate laugh,
bursting with it.

Across the street, across the room,
climbing in and out of cars,
their nakedness mocks you.

You,
a handsome man with grand ideas,
with steady pay, with artful hands,
so you force yourself to remember when you were single,
and how little you were able to capitalize then either.
But boy, it was fun to try.