Departure

Like a gentle current of water she flows, 

Leave me lying by the riverside,

Stiff. Quiescent.

Adrenaline rushes to my brain–

Telling me I should go.

I can’t keep hearing the echo of her voice,

Calling my name.

Her entity fills the spaces of my body.

The moment I have my eyes open,

I remember–

There is no place left for our hearts to stay in this moment.

Heaven and Earth know that it is the only thing we ever agreed upon. 

I accept my own defeat,

Destroying the arts of intimacy we once built. 

For the very first time,

I will not ask questions,

Around what is so hard about it all,

Whether it is a challenge we are bad at–

Or a game none of us can win.

This is a fair life for us.

However,

There is a return trip on every outgoing trip. 

When the flowers bloom and the air dances in another life,

I know I am going to find her again. 

Tiffany Putri

June 14, 2023 - Arvonne Fraser Library