The speaker takes a walk through a park and sees a friend who looks truly happy. The trouble is that the friend's mind is on someone else, a woman the speaker describes as beautiful and breathtaking. The speaker feels "forgotten like the dead," as if their place in the friend's thoughts has vanished. They wait for a turn that never comes, then decide to walk away.
What makes the poem touching is that the speaker doesn't blame the friend. Their shared memories are described as never heartbreaking, full of laughs and smiles. The speaker says there was never a romantic moment, because "that's not what people like us do," which hints at feelings they kept hidden. The last line sums it up: a best friend has broken their heart without even knowing it.
The mood is quiet and bittersweet. The speaker is sad and a little lonely, but also gentle and accepting, with warmth for the friendship still there.