The Last Goodbye

If you had stopped

and said, "Hello,"

I might have looked around

for other people,

perplexed by the new you.

By the forgiving you.

I would've looked back

into your brown eyes

and my heart would have

swelled and ached.

Tears might have

stung my eyes.

My cheeks may have reddened

as I warmed

at the sound of your voice.

You would have caught me

off guard.

Surprised me with your

single word.

I might have said, "Hello," too.

And we might have stared

at each other

our mouths open,

agape with stupidity

as silence filled the space between us

saying words we could not.

It would have said, "Sorry,"

and "I miss you"

for both of us.

Until we reached for each other

in a long, warm embrace

that would've made us both shiver.

I would have held you tightly

my fingers pressed against

the muscles in your back.

Your arms would've held my head

against your chest.

And yours would've rested on mine,

your lips near my forehead.

And I would have wanted you to press them

harder against my flesh.

And you might have,

if you had stopped

and said, "Hello."

But you didn't.

And so we passed

right on by

without a word.

or glance exchanged

between us.

Our eyes averted that gaze

that would have called us in

and the silence that would've

spoken for us.

Instead, we kept on walking.

You didn't say hello

and I didn't respond.

And you never held me again.

Nor I, you.

We left each other

with nothing more

than angry words

in our past.

And goodbyes

never spoken.