by Lorena C. C., 13
As I’m out in the pouring rain, it hits me, it all comes back in a flash.
An ocean breeze passed through us,
the big blue waves curled upon land every second, left, and then came back.
Your contagious, bright smile caught my eye.
Then your angelic, warm honey eyes, the color of a warm cup of dark coffee, met my eyes.
It makes the moment memorable, it makes it last longer, forever maybe.
We sit and stare at many shiny lights that warm night,
one big bright light we wished upon that night.
You gave me about a dozen or more pretty red roses that sunshiny day.
I smelled them every chance I could, knowing they wouldn’t last forever.
Everything we had was sweet-bitter.
I knew everything about you, I always wondered what you had learned about me.
You’re the only person I wanted.
You seemed to turn fantasy into reality.
Everything wasn’t as it seemed though, it wasn’t perfect.
There had come endless nights of crying.
You never heard me cry out to the hopeless moon about you.
I was a fool to you, you were oblivious to my feelings.
The thing about you is you came with both the good and the bad.
Every time I was with you I would get lost in your eyes.
They were hypnotizing and mesmerizing.
I knew all the lies you spread, and your act of lying happy.
On the outside, you seemed perfect.
But only I knew the truth,
the dark truth behind you,
the dark secrets you kept and carried with you.
I was your escape, and you were mine.
We had never felt the love of someone.
Through it all though, you were the one to make me happy.
You gave me happy memories.
I had never forgotten you, and never will.
I used to know everything about you,
and now I don’t even know anything about you.
I somehow still love you,
not like before though.
I have learned to try and love you from a distance.
I wish our time together would have lasted a little longer.
There was nothing to regret with you.
I would have done anything before to have spent more time with you,
but I’ve learned we’re better in our own ways.
But here I’ll always be, waiting for you, even if you’re not waiting for me.
Tears fill my eyes as I walk through the pouring rain.
Red Bank, New Jersey
Notes from our interns on selecting this piece: Incredibly raw and emotional! The author’s use of sensory details, such as the ocean breeze and the smell of roses, adds depth to the piece and makes it easy to connect with on a personal level. Overall, this poem is a beautiful tribute to the power of love and the enduring nature of memories.
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