not there

i turned to laugh with you
as the crowd enjoyed a
witty moment and with
a shock i realized you
weren't there your chair
was missing and no one
else noticed but i saw and
felt the pang as i thought
to share a new way through
an old forest in the joy it
brought me on a sunny
afternoon as i imagined
your reaction it hit me that
i couldn't tell you because
you weren't there and i
dashed away a tear that
stubbornly ran down my
face the emblem of your
absence all too real and
heartache comes in a
thousand ways each time
as fresh as if you weren't
there the first time and i
longed to wrap my arms
around and feel you so
close but my wounded
heart knew you weren't
there and so i faced the
lonely night afresh in
the grief of longing and
loss all too lonely and
solitary without you
holding to the small
flame of hope that
someday
you
will
be
there