shifting

Sitting across this room
surrounded by the chatter of other people
you are watching me.
Your eyes are shifting
to and away
back to me, through me
and away.
You exist in the active periphery
of my sight and life.

And I know
that you're still watching me now,
twenty feet away,
and I know all about what you intended to do
what you meant to say
but the bellowing trains
of every hour
pass between us,
have been passing for months.
And now, as the steam clears
I see you're still making your choice
by choosing nothing.
So I will choose for both of us
to get on the next train and leave you here
as you sit idly by
shifting your eyes away from me
without courage.

Shift"ing, a.

1.

Changing in place, position, or direction; varying; variable; fickle; as, shifting winds; shifting opinions or principles.

2.

Adapted or used for shifting anything.

Shifting backstays Naut., temporary stays that have to be let go whenever the vessel tacks or jibes. -- Shifting ballast, ballast which may be moved from one side of a vessel to another as safety requires. -- Shifting center. See Metacenter. -- Shifting locomotive. See Switching engine, under Switch.

 

© Webster 1913.