Pair

The evening before us,

and uncoupled we drift

into otherness,

strangers on our shadowed shores

The afternoon, untethered

I ride to a small cafe

am seated at the counter

to observe unobserved

Couples wander by

the percussions of their footfalls

perfectly paired alignment

There is beauty in symmetry,

the blades of shoulders

learning together

paired rib cages sheltering

paired lungs

I watch two crows knocking beaks

and then alighting

wingtip to wingtip,

swooping alignment

they carve the skyline

with the knife edges

of their blue black wings

Grateful for the ebb and flow

the tides we share,

grateful for the spaces

between our union

Knowing and mystery

informing our love.