choosing

we didn't realise
we chose the day
of the accident
what it woke up like
what you could see
from the window
what you read in
the newspaper
how the ticket collector
was towards you before
you spoke. Napoleon
didn't see the trench when
he rode out that morning
because he needed to be beaten
and when I was eight
and got run over
the lady visited me
gave me books, toys
remembered to call
for several months