everyday, a bottle
thrown to the ocean
secrets and wishes written inside

i am here, i am here, i am here,

island slowly slinking
storm on the horizon
waves encroaching,
sand washed away

don’t let me drown

—

We were a series of missed connections,
meetings and encounters unaligned.
I could have loved you,
was halfway there,
until we drifted apart.

Across the room,
our eyes first met,
commiserating smile dimpling your cheek.
Listening to a fool,
and trying not to laugh,
I might have fallen in love with that smile.

A few days later,
the second time,
a spark of recognition and pleased surprise.
You introduced yourself,
hair dark against the pale pink of your shirt,
so sweet, the curve of your neck.

Third followed soon,
later that night,
lights dim, music thumping, glasses in hand.
The crowd pushed us together,
but you linked our arms and drew me close.
Head resting against my shoulder.

It would have been a beautiful beginning.

I couldn’t find you after that night.
I had your name but not your number.
I didn’t even think to ask,
hadn’t understood until it was already too late.

I might have seen you in the library, once,
separated by glass walls and a flight of stairs.
Breathless, reckless,
more falling than walking,
I tried to catch you,
and found only an empty desk instead.

Your name was a beacon,
I interrupted so many conversations,
a lovestruck fool.
Maybe you would have laughed.
But none of them were you,
and the months passed.

I could have loved you.