why shouldn’t men look at women

and women look at men

and women look at women

and men look at men

why shouldn’t they

size each other up (as

we used to say)

why isn’t there more

of that looking    that

casual catching of

breath in plain

appreciation or rejection    why

isn’t there more of it    what

old people sometimes ex-

perienced    as shock and a

dangerous heartbeat which

sometimes erupted into

love at first sight (as

it is called to this day)

and as old people we must

warn    it may once in a startling

while last forever (as it

is called)