Reunion
A Poem
Your hand grazes carefully upon my cheek,
as though I’d shatter at your touch
but instead my skin burns
a bright red
and I’m simply left to melt away instead.
This reminds me of a time
taken place long before the alarm
went off on our youth
and time got the better of us.
We’d hide in your bedroom,
the door shut despite your mother’s wishes
to keep it open.
Our young teenage selves so scared to
go beyond the lines of ‘forbidden’
in case your brother barged in
or if your dad called out
‘dinner is ready!’
Back then we were too young to understand
the concepts behind romance and lust.
friendship and relationship,
soulmate and twin flame.
You had dreams of driving a Porsche
whilst I had dreams of a life
that didn’t consist of remaining in this
small little town,
right in the middle of nowhere
and the middle of somewhere.
Little did we know that we’d both find ourselves
halfway across the country living in apartments
with rent to pay and grocery lists
hung on our fridges.
You have yet to afford that Porsche
and I’ve done my share.
However, in our youth, we dreamt of a life together
spent living in a beach home
happy as though we had no responsibilities
other than for one another.
Fast forward four, five years later
as we sit across from each other in this
poorly lit bar with ten-dollar beers
and beach rock from the speakers.
You’ve gotten taller, aged well
I’ve gotten tired, aging gracefully.
You still run a mile before breakfast and
I still sleep in and surf in the afternoons,
you sleep alone and I do too.
But not tonight,
there’s no more parents, brothers,
school bells, or curfews.
It’s just us.
Reuniting after four, five years.
