A Prayer

I saw a boy on the metro
platform. About ten,
he joked around
with an older, bigger boy.

He edged to the edge of
the platform, which was to him
the edge of somewhere else.
He played at daring. He played at scared.

The older boy played, too.
At pushing him from the platform.
At pushing him to the rails.
At pushing me to falling, too.

And there we were.
Little outlaw acts and
me with bloody visions
and choked with unvoiced prayer.