The Afternoon of Lost Opportunity

The Stone Jockey's career is going poorly.

He is from Argentina,

But everyone always assumes he is from Easter Island.

When he approaches the horses,

They panic;

And even though he regards them with only the tenderest affection,

He can never get near them.

The Stone Jockey sits on a bench in the park, trying to relax,

But there is a problem with pigeons.

A woman walks by,

And though he regards her with only the tenderest affection,

He knows it is hopeless--

He will never get near her.

This particular woman

Is a part-time fashion model.

She lives on Diet Pepsi and cocaine,

And speaks only Romanian.

"If I had one wish," says the Stone Jockey to the pigeons on his head,

"I would wish to be the lightest feather in the wing of an angel."

He imagines this angel to be the coked-up fashion model, who is hurrying away to meet her connection, a man named Raoul.

If she had come over and kissed the Stone Jockey instead,

His head would have split open

In an earthquake of happiness,

And his soul would have risen and fluttered

Like the mane of a white Arabian

In the wind.

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