Who did not, nor then, innocently die
Nor ever, … die not meaning to, not know
-ing he would die, that where the body flies
From the bridge, the bridge will stop forever, though
The man about to leap first waves and smiles
Assesses first the task of climbing over
The railing, which leg … first, first thinks a while
Begins to, thinking, play he’s thinking, over
-acting his part, rubbing his chin and Hmm
-ing loudly, glancing to his left, his right
Resetting then and slackening his arms
He’ll think for all the time in the world, the night
Beginning now … to strip away the blues
Nobody notices until they’ve gone
Even though they go each night, each night seems new
From the sky. … He starts the play again. … Him on
-ly, for whose benefit? … pretending not
To know how he will climb the railing, how
Surmount it, then to leap, … for the parking lots
Beside, below, the bridge, … those watching now
From the heavy seats, car doors like wings, he mimes
His thinking bigger, rubs more violently
His pinkened, tender chin. … What’s all the time
In the world? … Till it’s too dark to see the play