How Life Leads Love


I saw you last night.

It’s been so long,
but in the crowd, after all my searching
I recognized you.
Conflicted screams came out as whispers,
aching to be close, stumbling forward,
     Relief
flooding as I saw your eyes connect with mine and there was
     Recognition.

     Exhaustion.

I wanted to lay my head against your neck and heal
my tired, unforgiving body.
I needed solace, closure
(will it ever be found?)

Beneath my eyelids I could
     Smell
you and nothing had changed;
     Trace
my hands over every little imperfection on your perfect body,
your bumps and grooves and swirls
were imprinted in my brain;
     Run
my hands through your hair
the familiar fibers that I so often held;
     Imagine
things we could do together and
     Remember
what we once had.

That look you gave me
your eyes
the softly spoken unwritten words,
gave me warmth and solace
     Completion.

The sparrows sang us a melody
humble and sweet
     Enticing
daylight to come through and drape shadows over us.

I awoke
tangled in morning sun-stained cotton,
my head on a wet pillow,
     Alone.
  

  
© Alison Cornellier