I suddenly sensed it - just the fleeting feeling.
I was in his shoes, trying to catch and hold on to vapor

a woman determined to be
a person self-willing as fleeting and scarce
she defies catching

she defies true knowing

I watched TV and the kiddies broke up
no longed engaged or betrothed or involved
he lost her and then I was there
the forlorn husband
the desperate lover
the dumbfounded man
holding on to her scarf
or a panty or lace
or a glove or a note or just a memory

she will be what she will
and she can't stay for you
or a mood or idea or your morés or parents

she can't stay for appearances
or to make you feel better
she can't stay for love and can't change

and the part you can't see or put your finger on
though you know it somewhere
is that change is her name
she is mist, she is vapor
she can't trapped or kept or off-balance

you might hook just a finger
a pinkie, no more
in the net of her stocking or workboot or hair
and think that's you've got her but no
and she's gone and you're left with air and that feeling

you know that it's wrong but she's gone