I Waited For You, You Know

A Poem by Matt Campbell

Where were you? I waited for you, you know. NO! DON’T START, I think I already know your answer…

For a long time at this appointed place where you said you would meet me so long ago you know, I waited for you.

You’re not the first whom I’ve waited for all the way out here. However, you’ll have to be the last for whom I’ve spent far too much time here.

Still, at least you’ve come and for that alone I am grateful, for all of the others that I waited for haven’t shown up at all.

All the shared promises and glorious plans. Dreams we were to follow, enough to motivate me to still wait in vain faith.

At best none of these were kept and at worst all broken. A pact without collateral seen as far less valid. Promises spoken and not kept even after they are then written in the assurance that our pact would be fulfilled. Even as the dry ink and unopened text that followed our once spoken words were blown away in the wind, I still waited for you, you know.

Before you answer, I already know. “It’s not my fault, things got in the way.”, “I had other things to do that were more important than my promise with you.” Some of this is probably true, which I understood and knew. And that is the reason why I still waited for you.

Well, now that you’re here, do you still want to go with me? Will you justify my long faithful wait? Decide quickly either way, for I will wait only a little longer since I’ve waited for you for so long to date.

I bear you no grudge, not anymore. I know that you, like me, had much do and many detours to take before you were ready to join me here at this place. So, for a little longer I shall wait for you to catch your breath. But not for long because I must be on way.

It is good to see you again, but I’m out of time and must be on my way. I waited for you, you know but I can’t wait anymore.