why didn’t you reach out one second sooner?
or maybe i should have waited one second more.
that’s all it would have taken.
one second would have made the difference.
i’d been on the ledge before,
but this time was different.
i was going down.
how much of the coldness of the world
does one need to experience?
how much cruelty?
how much indifference?
nobody cares.
nobody.
cares.
then you reached out one second too late
and grabbed me right as i jumped.
you, a total stranger.
and i took you with me.
there was just an instant then
when i saw it all clearly.
funny i never saw it before.
should have seen it.
There is something here rainey, something untrusting, or fearful…can’t quite put my finger on it.
A
I like this heaps 
(I have a slight problem with your last line… again. 
)
haha! yes, i think my problem is i just don’t know when to shut up. you were dead nuts on with the last one, km, but i’m not so sure here, though. so, here then is version two, ending one line earlier. now you have your pick:
from the ledge (version 2.0)
why didn’t you reach out one second sooner?
or maybe i should have waited one second more.
that’s all it would have taken.
one second would have made the difference.
i’d been on the ledge before,
but this time was different.
i was going down.
how much of the coldness of the world
does one need to experience?
how much cruelty?
how much indifference?
nobody cares.
nobody.
cares.
then you reached out one second too late
and grabbed me right as i jumped.
you, a total stranger.
and i took you with me.
there was just an instant then
when i saw it all clearly.
funny i never saw it before.
yes, it really all comes down to trust.
so when, liquidangel, do we see something from you here? i have a feeling there’s something of a poet in you. just a feeling…
I like the original ending – it has a very nice edge to it – except I keep tripping over it.
I think it has to do with leaving out the “I” in “I should have seen it” The problem with truncating a line like this is it can be read as meaning either
“I should have seen it” or “You should have seen it”
This is my problem; it stops the flow and forces me work it out.
I had it as I had to slow down to turn into my street, always an edgy experience the drivers of the cars are impatient and it’s a twisted corner, the timing is everything. As long as we are breathing we can awaken, we have now only now we have to learn how to fly…
hmmm…
A
interestingly enough, i used “i” in my original draft, taking it out just before i posted it for reasons i don’t even remember. okay, then:
from the ledge (version 3.0 - final version)
why didn’t you reach out one second sooner?
or maybe i should have waited one second more.
that’s all it would have taken.
one second would have made the difference.
i’d been on the ledge before,
but this time was different.
i was going down.
how much of the coldness of the world
does one need to experience?
how much cruelty?
how much indifference?
nobody cares.
nobody.
cares.
then you reached out one second too late
and grabbed me right as i jumped.
you, a total stranger.
and i took you with me.
there was just an instant then
when i saw it all clearly.
funny i never saw it before.
i should have seen it.
thanks!
I liked it better without the I… hahaha… Wow… sorry seems to be my day to contradict everyone.
oh rainy, don’t torture yourself, go with your instincts.
Rainey, I agree with TUM; it sounds better without the “I” – that’s why I didn’t suggest adding it. I only wanted you to be aware that the last line had two possible meanings e.g. “you/I should have seen it”.
Do what makes sense to you. I think a good poet/writer often drags the reader into his world (sometimes kicking and screaming) not vice versa. People who make too many changes for the reader often end up writing airport trash novels or advertising copy. 
yes but i didn’t want the second meaning inferred. i think the “i” is important, notwithstanding the fact that it might flow better without it.
(either way i appreciate everybody’s comments).