fondest regrets

Eyes are distracted, smiles are shared
as moments are laid to hasten
enthused sufferings of niceties
well meant and, if heard, well taken

I've gripped listless cadavers
at times caught in a callous vice
what empty vassals these hands seem
mere instants in the course of  life

Wager but never mind the odds
on the roulette of the meet and greet
to connect with someone is rare
amid the handshakes of the fleeting

Count time, distance, and idleness as
harbingers of a golden rule faded grey
chips cashed and spent so lightly
sum the friends that have slipped away