-the gathering-

I attended the reception; lingered at the fringes of invitees,

and eavesdropped on the conversations emanating from those

lurking at the margins of acquaintance.

some expressed their opinions of the caterers' performance.

a 30-something man, holding a warming highball

scanned the room for love, bobbing his head as the pop trio 

played in mellow shades of compliance to the requisite list.

a young woman draped in backless black with stern observational

attentiveness was pointing out certain discrepancies, and I drank

what I previously had no intention of drinking.

I'd taken the care necessary to dress appropriately, but

changed-up the moment I arrived back home where

the work in progress had been laid upon the table.

I remembered to check the obituaries before I left the apartment,

and double-checked them when I returned, concluding

to my satisfaction that no one of note had died in the interim.

my attendance at the event was recalled with a healthy measure of regret,

as I began to re-defined the night, and with it,

the work in progress which was laid upon the table.