The Fortune Cookie (Poetry)

As with horoscopes
I s’pose one should not
really take these things
too seriously —
they’re only for fun

Like those sweet love hearts
quaint with messages
when we were still young
and had faith one day
true romance would come

But this forecast felt
strangely personal
with its cryptic words
its dire warning aimed
left no place to run

Clues to where and when
hid dark between lines
an uneasy thing
to perturb the mind
precious peace undone

Nerves tensed all alert
as dull days drift on
we grew old so fast
and Heaven knows why
I dream of a gun