even when you never liked something,
if
the word goodbye
is involved
you still get a little sad

why was this?
the time traveler hung his head
as he watched the young man
walk away
towards the same death

except this time,
one of them knew about it

why
he said to nobody,
why couldn't I choose someone else
just once
over myself?

it's so hard to believe,
he said to himself,
that I have lived seventeen lifetimes
yet I had never known
what it feels like
to hurt someone

the young man kept walking
the time traveler watched
from his seat on the safe bench
no was on the tip of his tongue
he could say it
no
he could offer to go instead
but his mouth wouldn't move


again he was lonely
like the first time
that first life
when nobody showed up
just me and dad
the first time he'd felt alone
even with balloons