The Fountain

A Poem

Photo by Alex Alvarez on Unsplash

By a fountain, you sat
Eyes vacant, invisible barriers shut down upon your gaze
A chemical haze that made your throat dry and
Hands shake as you fumbled to spark a light
For your cigarette

It wouldn’t have taken a moment
For me to sit beside you
To give you the attention
You so desperately needed and deserved
Still, I lowered my gaze and picked up the pace
Too busy, another time maybe
Never entertaining the notion that this would be the last time
I would ever see you

A sick swell of regret weighs heavy on my chest
Now that you’re gone
You cherished words and gave them freely
To those you loved deeply
I kept every one you gave to me
I would give anything to go back to the fountain
Lift the veil from our eyes
And connect
One last time