You came late, in the drizzle
In your hasty-stepped stride
Empty-handed, no flowers, no candles
Just as they started to lower the coffin
To the rain-soaked ground
You stood at the back, away from the rest
But you didn’t know
That I was watching you
You found your comfort zone
Next to a stone angel
Where the coffin was barely visible
As it was lowered to the ground
Throughout the muffled sermon
You kept on glancing at the watch
Muttering something
To the gravedigger next to you
But you didn’t know
That I was watching you
You were late for another event
I searched for sorrow in your eyes
I scanned your lashes for a tear
There was just the haste
Your eyes, eager than an eagle
Your care, colder than the corpse
Glancing at the watch
Shifting weight from foot to foot
But you didn’t know
That I was watching you
Just as the final cross was drawn
Just as the first clod of earth hit the lid
You excused yourself politely
And quietly slid through the rusty back gate
Heedless of the wake
But you didn’t know
That I was watching you
But it was okay
You had to go
It was raining, and the night was falling
I felt the familiar pride and joy
Because you came
I found myself whispering, “My dear friend.”
As the car took the bend.