Regret

I left you stranded on a cold night,
somewhere between the first touch
of Autumn’s grace
and the heaps of leaves
spotting well-mended lawns.

It is not the first infraction
of mine upon the whisper
“I love you,”
Because it is easier to bark
than to bite to the bone.

And now you’re alone
when you needed me most,
and I, in lapsed pursuit,
Whisper again,
“I love you”.