September at Chartres Cathedral

And we meet over handlebars at Chartres, by the royal portal — the ancient seat visited through the ages.

I razz her with a tour-book notion.

Still we smiled and chatted on in the chill.

Then we went separate ways, trudging toward the next hill

But I find her late May: brown-eyeful, seated front-row center in a group photo, at SOHO headquarters — thawing before touring season.

“She’s not here, no she’s NOT…

But oh, wait man…”

And she remembers me, and quotes my one-line blunder

We kiss and

There we were, and

Then we were together,

Through summer and early fall

Till our window fell away.