
Peter Milner
Song
I heard them
late, but not so late
down there
down below
four, five voices
young men
singing in the street
a verse or two
some song I didn’t know
their song
sung soft
a song between them
singing slow
respecting its beauty
the parting of friends
echoes at least
of time spent familiar
but now it’s time to go
on separate journeys
yet they linger
find this song to mark their parting
with a verse or two
down there between the gardens
and the parked cars
under street lamps
before the junction of the roads
where paths diverge
the song shared
then on they go
some sweet sentiment
lodged in each
carried between them
in ears, on lips
patterned into memory
the moment's anthem
tender in the soul