Poem: Gone, Yet Here

The gentle sound of water running behind me reminds me of your voice—

Soft, sweet, and endless

No matter how far or fast I run, I can’t shake you from my mind

You walked in one day and claimed the space as your own

No hello, no please, no thank you—

You settled in like you’d always belonged,

And soon enough, you crept into my heart, taking that too.

Both were wilting, like flowers left in the dark—

Weak, fragile, broken.

But you made them blossom again,

For the first time in so long.

Still, I wished you gone,

Fearing I’d pull you down with me—

My own battles too heavy to share.

Now that you’ve finally gone, I’ve never felt so alone.

The flowers wilt again, and with them, my self-love fades.

I try to pull you from my thoughts, just as I did before—

But this time, it’s different