Muddy Sunshine

I can still see you standing there.

I love you so much.

You're eyes have tears in them.

I never thought I would find you.

You're body, trembling, ever so slightly.

I had lost all hope.

 

We were standing in that little cafe you liked so much.

You're hair was shining in the sunlight,

But your eyes seemed so somber.

 

I counted the days.

1,095 days. Exactly three years.

Sometimes I counted the minutes too.

I thought about you on all of those days.

I thought of you on all of those days.

And then I came home.

 

It was a Tuesday. I was out for tea.

I arrived at the airport at 6:37 on Tuesday morning.

It must have been about 8 o'clock.

It took me 20 minutes to get off the plane.

There was one girl working at the counter,

And a couple sitting on the far side of the cafe.

17 minutes to find my luggage.

The honey, on that day, was very thick.

And 40 minutes more until I would finally step out of the airport.

 

The taxi I hailed was more goldenrod than yellow.

"1826 Ninety-Second Street," I told the driver.

He nodded. I remember that his grey beard was long enough to touch his chest.

 

I was wondering what you were doing that morning.

The cab driver drove so slowly.

Out for a jog through the dusty camp, maybe.

We didn't arrive at the house until almost a quarter past eight

Or tossing a grenade back and fourth with a fellow soldier

I didn't know.

 

When I found the house empty, my first thoughts were

"She left me."

But when I saw the bed was slept in,

Joy was restored.

I still had to find you.

 

It felt like hours until I finished my tea.

My thoughts were chaotic inside my head

But when I did, I still didn't want to leave.

If you weren't home, where were you?

There was undissolved honey in the bottom fo my cup.

It was the color of sunshine bathed in mud, and it stuck to my spoon.

I grabbed my keys and jumped into the car.

The seat of the car felt familiar,

 And for a moment my head rushed with memories.

It was a few more minutes before I decided I should head back.

Within those memories I dug.

I stood, slowly,

Out of fear that my body would buckle under the burden I carried.

 

Before long, I found myself driving,

And with one destination in mind:

The cafe.

Of all the the things we've shared,

I remembered that once,

On a walk,

You told me that if I should ever lose you,

You would be at the cafe.

"It's my sanctuary," you joked.

But I believed you.

 

I handed the woman at the counter my cup.

"Thank you," she said. Her voice was peppy.

Her eyes seemed to tell a different story though.

When I parked in front of the cafe,

I couldn't breathe,

But I got out of the car and walked towards the entrance anyways.

I replied with just a nod, then turned,

And immediately, two great arms flew around my body.

The first thing I recognized was your hair.

I couldn't hold myself back any longer,

And I walked right up and brought you into me.

I was confused, but I did not kick nor scream.

There was something too familiar about this embrace.

I looked into your eyes

I looked into your eyes.

You had never seemed more beautiful than at that moment.

I coldn't believe what I was seeing.

The only thing I could do was cry.

Your eyes, they were shining with tears.

"I'm here,"

You whispered,

"I'm here."

 

 

Author's Note

Comments/Critique: Always happy to recieve!

Reviews

[KAREN]

A wonderful poem that was enjoyable to read! The story the poem told was very interesting!

[Tate Morgan]

I like this just fine Pokie