A thoughtless trespass
               moved to piqued esteem
no harm intended, minding not
               another’s deep despair
like random keys plucked
               from school laptops
just to make a word
               to put in his pocket

“buck up, pal” the
               minor indiscretions
mean no harm
               do not intend to injure
only careless words and deeds
               that damage nonetheless
and so defend against this
               formless threat of danger

the snide, the trite, the insincere
               that brew and bubble
one day may
               no longer be repaired