The Memory

He sat back as a smile broke upon his face,
As though it were a wave
Washing to shore forgotten memories.

It was alarming how such thoughts can escape hibernation
And invade his mind with such force.
Though curiosity questions the timing
Of such recollections, the smile remains.

The room wavered before him as this
Memory coaxed him to walk this path once more.
Ensnared by memory’s pull, he gave in.

He was transported to the most unassuming of nights.
Ironically, these are the nights that seemed destined for change.

He found himself walking down that trail again...

It was late as dawn began crawling ever closer
In an effort to illuminate another summer day.
Possibility filled him, it was next to him, holding his hand.
He soared high, this was it, this is how it started.

Its as though they were the only two people on earth,
With only the trees bearing witness to something sacred.
He was amazed, who knew this could be so easy?
Conversation flowed effortlessly.
It’s as if their minds melded together, joining two halves,
Two lovers long lost.

The hazy twilight grew brighter, matching that sparkle in her eyes.
He wanted to stay like this forever, but he was afraid to ruin it.
Could this be the end, would this ever happen again?
But really, would this ever be the same after tonight?

He stopped, gazing at her with such intensity
Its as though he were trying to will this love to blossom instantaneously.
Maybe she knew it as well, this could be love, it really could-
But he just didn’t know what to do.
He ached to kiss her, to make her understand this longing,
Yet fear paralyzed him, though his gaze never wavered.

Their eyes locked in a moment of star-crossed eternity-
Then it was shattered by the impending dawn,
And the sound of distant voices.

Reality was crashing down on them too soon,
He needed to hold on to this feeling...
He knew the inevitable was near, that they would have to part,
And therefore putting an end to perhaps the best night of his life.

The sound of footsteps announced their arrival, it was them.
He looked at these faces, those of his closest friends
And he thought they knew; this was something special.

The ride home was a blur.
She was with him, upon his lap
And his heart was fit to burst.
He was torn at the seams.

Th end was here, they had arrived,
And this was his last shot.
Naturally her back was turned toward him
And he found himself willing her to turn around.
This was it, do or die.

But the unexpected occurred as she proceeded to walk out,
Leaving him crestfallen at her silent goodbye.
As he resigned himself for defeat he looked up-
Only to see her whirl around, poke her head in the car,
And place the most tender, fleeting kiss upon his lips
Before turning back and leaving without a word.

She walked away towards the sun and disappeared into fire.
Dawn’s bright fury enveloped her as he tried to follow her with his eyes.
It blinded him, bringing him to tears
And for the first time he felt truly alive.

The vision blurred as reality swam slowly back into view.

That smile was much broader now,
How odd it was that this memory enveloped him so completely.
He could still feel the tingle of her lips upon his,
And the way it made his insides dance wildly.

He hadn’t seen her after that night
Because he knew it wouldn’t be the same;
It was just one of those moments you can never recapture.

He didn’t know then why they never spoke again,
But today it reminds him of the fickleness of life and love.
More importantly it showed him that when you least expect it,
Another can fill this vacancy within your heart, only to leave it just as quickly.

A ray of light from the dawning sun shines upon him,
And the smile begins to slide off his face.
It was the closest thing to love he ever had;
This fleeting, long-forgotten memory.