His eyes were locked on a flowing
crowd, who paid no mind to his lifeless state;
My breath was merely meant to embalm him.
My Hello was too intrusive,
a blood transfusion.
A heartbeat began, cautious, careful, confused,
as newly-raised creatures often are.
On seeing its rescuer, his lungs took
my word and twisted
it into a desperate cry. Hello-hell-
o-hello-hello-hello-hell-
I cannot defend myself. I shrunk
away as though I never saw the miracle.
I let the people sweep me away,
turning my regrets into calculated apathy.
I risked one glance to preserve his image—
He shrivelled there and then.