While This Lasts

A Poem

Photo by Sadaf Niknam on Unsplash

your smile was the warmth
of the sun laying itself to rest
right before the sky filled up
with the remembrance of stars.

my hand held fast to yours
because i knew these moments
would flee as soon as I looked away
and dared to believe in a thing like forever.

and it would be over,
just like that,
because we were
finite.

and it would end
someday, someday,
because we were
transient.

tomorrow was no promise,
and the future was no vow,
and even that sun would die out
just like the smile on your face.

but, honey, we’ve got
this moment in a jar.

but, honey, we’ve got
one last midnight.

we should enjoy it
while this lasts.

and you know —

i wanted every sunrise
and every sunset —
but it wasn’t meant to be,
not in this lifetime.