you were my anchor
keeping me steady amid stormy seas
now I drift, lost without your guiding light
our bed cold, your side untouched
pillow still curved with the shape of your head
I wear your shirts like armour
fraying seams, fading scent
your memory etched into every thread
the house creaks and groans
even the walls mourn your absence
I walk from room to room
brush fingers over chairs and tables we chose together
autumn leaves blanket the ground outside
I watch them fall alone
your voice still echoes in the quiet spaces
I wrap it around me like a shawl
my heart is a well of grief
each tear ripples the surface
until we meet again
on some distant shore
