unlit matches

you should stand tall

oh my dear,
i fear i have
squandered the years.

i cannot recall
the exact words
that led to our fall

only tarnished memories:

a kaleidoscope of retrospect.

i'm sure you still write
into your book at night

while your presence online
has become a rare sight.

you're the yeti of the internet,
(what a ridiculous thought),
a sighting of you
makes everyone gawp.

i believe we were friends,
once upon a time,
before adolescent mistakes
made our bones weary
- knees quake.

i no longer remember
the pitch and rise of your voice,

only a faint hum remains.

your thoughts are unknown
and you'll keep them locked,
that's fair,

though i hope
someone shares
a key to there.

for your ideas
deserve an ear
that will listen
and cheer,

since i neglected
to write down
all your monologues,
paragraphs of sentences.

all i have left
are damp pages
where ink swells
but words can't take hold.

so for all the nonexistent
messages and calls,
of adventures that
persist as "what ifs"

i hope now
there is an audience
with a standing ovation
with your name
on it.