leaning forward, She touches Her hand to Her cheek—She is tired
life looms over Her head, yet She doesn’t see—
She mourns for what She doesn’t know, what She can’t feel, and what She will never see
a cautious twirl of Her hair moves the air within the room
drives me to act, yet the gale sends me cowering back into my chair.
where has Her smile gone?
the same smile that stirred my heart, stole my mind, tore my soul
is gone
sacrificed to the eight hour work day
to living as a student
to another man
why can’t it be me?
but I know. I know what I have done. What I have brought into being.
these events are of my own forging.
the sunlight crown moves again, rending me from Her image
sending me back to earth
back to Her memories
of dancing, laughing, joking, smiling, living, loving
a perfect moment with no one else in the room-
but perfection can’t survive in the reality of a high school dance
where one night turns into another
another becomes a dream
a dream that closes the doors to my heart
for that week— that single day— the only hour—
one minute—
a solitary second hidden somewhere
so I could shatter Her dreams
and I did
Her feet draw Her through the open door, but I can’t weep—
my tears have been closed off for some unfortunate time.
She turns!
surely for one last look at what broke both of our hearts,
the pitiful creature living in his own desolate dreams—
to come back to me, to love me!
we could be happy, She would once more smile
every moment could last forever in Her arms
Her lips curl up as She hesitantly takes a single solid step towards my waiting heart
then another, faster!
another and another and another—until She is almost within my embrace once more;
my heart Soars
as She grabs Her backpack
floating once more out the open door
into his arms