We met

By accident, it seems,

A couple of shared laughs

Dances

And favorite bands

Over mediocre food

And far more mediocre

Wine

Two puzzle pieces

So close to aligning

if the edges

Were a little more refined—

I can’t help but think

In another life

Our hearts would have fit

Kindly

Perhaps better timing

Could have sharpened

Our corners

I fell instantly,

Charmed and

Delighted

To see the way

You lit up a room

or the way your smile could comfort

A crowd

Without the need

For empty conversation

or false regards

Too often the

Almosts

fail to turn into

Somethings

and the spark of potential

blows out

by the discretion

of some

unfair storm

Almost perfect,

Almost together,

Almost a match,

But not quite.

Almost complete,

Almost good,

Almost a success,

But not quite.

The maybes

are a clash

of

tragedy and fortune

Like a taste of something

Special and sweet

Only to have it

Vanish

The next day

But, strangely,

I keep finding

I don’t regret

The in-between—

Or moments

Where I learned

How it can feel

to not walk

alone

They say you

Learn a lot

About someone

By how they leave

You

And

You left me

Better than before

I met you

when I was

Broken

Unsure and scared

And though

We were an almost,

you were my favorite

Because when we hugged

Goodbye

You left me

Whole.

I can blame the stars, the day, or other

People

But that won't change our separateness

or the way

my stomach feels

when I hear your

Name

But I am okay.

Though most things are fleeting,

As was our time,

You

Taught me

What it means

To feel safe

You

Taught me

What it means

To feel I'm enough

So

Thank You.