t h e n ;
a piece of paper flutters from her hand,
with writing on it.
i pick it up,
ready to give it back,
and read it instead.
'im taking my life tonight, and i've never felt more depressed.'

5   s e c o n d s   t o o   l a t e ;
the subway doors close,
and i'm left standing there shocked.
i bang on the doors to get them to open again,
and i get her attention.

h e r   p i e r c i n g   g a z e ;
she turns ever so frailly,
and i hold the note up while the train starts moving.
i turn my head to the side and scream,
'don't do it.'
hoping that through the fogged-up Plexiglas she'll hear my words.

t h e   t r a i n   h a s   l e f t   t h e   s t a t i o n ;
and i have sat down.
the people on the subway are looking at me funny,
as i reread the note.
i turn it over,
and read the backside of it.

'don't worry,

i'm too chicken to do it.'