I Saw You in the Great Expanse

A Poem

Photo by Sebastian Mark on Unsplash

it had been so long
since I saw your face —
you were almost a stranger,
so new yet so familiar

you took my cold hands
and held them close — safe —
while I shed useless tears
that never could save you

there were no words then —
so much to say aloud,
yet no time to share —
as I memorized your smile

you whispered me a blessing,
a psalm from long ago,
and I cried even more —
time would steal you away

you held me closer still,
yet no heartbeat betrayed you,
a reminder you were gone —
never coming back to me

your kiss felt like feathers
of angel’s wings lifting gently
in time so far removed,
a memory of ghosts dancing

dreams would be the salve,
or so I told myself —
there was no other way
I could greet you again