Side by Side...

Crossroads

It is dark, a light breeze blows against my skin
under the cover of the moon's faint light.

I stand on a wooded path, breathing in the night air
that carries with it vivid memories that are mixed with
feelings of love, sadness, hopelessness, and pain.

I close my eyes, attempting to take in every detail as I
try to remember the sound of your voice, 
the fiery warmth in your eyes that was snuffed out,
and the warm feelings that I had when you were in my arms.

I can only smile, thinking about you, but it is bittersweet.

From afar, I hear your voice call to me 
and I immediately open my eyes, hoping to get a glimpse of you;
however, I can see nothing, only the darkness 
that envelops the path before me.

Nearby, I hear the sound of crying and I am filled with worry.
I long to reach you, to find you, to hold you close,
but with a forest as big as this, it could take hours.

In a blur I turn and see you appear before me,
dressed in your official robes, and in an instant our surroundings
melt away and morph into more recognizable ones.

I call out to you, desperately hoping that you will tell me
why you are so upset, but you say nothing and continue to weep.

I whisper your name, asking you to tell me what upset you,
and I gently touch your shoulder; your sobs briefly stop 
and you look up at me, allowing me to glimpse your red-rimmed eyes.

You look at me with hurt and sadness in your eyes, 
and it is then that I know what is troubling you.

Pulling you close to my chest, I whisper what I wanted to say to you.

And in a flash, everything vanishes, leaving me alone
on a heavily wooded path under the moon's faint light.

Regret lingers like a long lost friend.

~~~~