As it always happens,
There you were,
Like flesh and blood remembered,
And here I want to say “hello”,
But it does not seem to fit.

Instead I can only sink into your embrace,
And memorize the way it felt,
This time always seems more real than the last,
Soaking in the smell of your hair,
The feel of your shoulder against my cheek,
As if the synapses in my brain,
Won’t be able to replay them the same.

And I can’t stop the tears,
Or the way your fingers try to prevent,
Their salty trail down my cheek,
Or the way you tilt my chin to look up at you.

And I can’t stop my lips,
From telling you everything,
All the fear, and the pain, and the love,
How I wish so badly you were here.

This is the only lifeline I have,
These times here with you,
And this time I ask you,
“What can I do? What can I do to keep you?”

And you say,
“You can’t.”

I wish I knew what it is I deserve,
So I ask,
“What about my life?
It’s not how I ever thought,
And I miss you so much every day.”

And you say,
“This is how some live sometimes,
They take each day,
They are thankful for the time they had,
They often remember,
These are the ghosts that dwell sometimes,
Hardly spoken of, but always remembered,
And we all just go on.”

“Is this the way it is for you?” I ask.

“You may never know for sure, but maybe.”

And I awake.